TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), on Tuesday (Mayh 20), destroyed P5,321,563,665.95 worth of dangerous drugs at the Integrated Waste Management, Inc. (IWMI), Barangay Aguado here.
The ceremony was witnessed by Secretary Oscar F Valenzuela, Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), the Guest of Honor and Speaker. He is joined by PDEA key officials, local officials of Barangay Aguado, Trece Martires City, representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies, Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), non-government organizations (NGOs) and media partners.
A total of 2,227.7584 kilograms of solid illegal drugs, and 3,447.0920 milliliters of liquid illegal drugs were destroyed through thermal decomposition or thermolysis. Among destroyed were 738.2005 kilograms of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, or Shabu; 1,478.4915 kilograms of Marijuana; 4.8668 kilograms of MDMA or Ecstasy; 39.2168 grams of Cocaine; 2.2116 grams of Toluene; 6.1516 grams of Ketamine; 5.5100 grams of Phenacetin; 1.0400 gram of LSD; 2,000 ml. of Liquid Cocaine; 49.0420 ml. of Liquid Meth; 1,398.05 ml. of Liquid Marijuana; and assorted surrendered expired medicines.
“These are pieces of drug evidence confiscated during anti-drug operations by PDEA and other counterpart law enforcement agencies, including those turned over by authorities that were recently ordered by the court to be destroyed. Stacked inside a chamber, the dangerous drugs were burned beyond recovery”, said PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani R Nerez.
This is the first destruction ceremony conducted since the assumption of Undersecretary Nerez as PDEA Director General over three months ago.
Among the dangerous drugs destroyed were the 404.9515 kilograms of shabu that were seized by combined operatives of PDEA, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) during an interdiction operation at the Port of Manila on January 23, 2025.
The Director General commended the efforts of the different branches of Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) for the expeditious prosecution and disposition of drug cases which paved the way for the expeditious destruction of these illegal drugs.
Director General Nerez noted that the destruction process dispels any misgivings in the minds of the public that seized drug evidence are being recycled. It is always done in public in the spirit of transparency and accountability. PDEA wants the activity to be visible to the public to instill trust and confidence.
“PDEA promotes transparency where its actions are open to the Filipino people as advocated under the “Bagong Pilipinas” program led by His Excellency President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The public deserves nothing less than our utmost diligence and integrity”, the PDEA Chief said. (UnliNews Online)
