Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 16) – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday destroyed ₱6.25 billion worth of seized illegal drugs, in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order last week.
A total of 1,394 kilograms of various illegal substances such as methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu), marijuana, cocaine, ephedrine, and ketamine were destroyed through thermal decomposition at the Integrated Waste Management, Inc. in Trece Martires, Cavite.
Duterte recently ordered law enforcement agencies to destroy within a week all confiscated illegal drugs. He said this will prevent some people, including policemen, from recycling them.
PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said the drug agency will seek assistance from the Department of Justice regarding the President’s order.
“I have already brought up the matter with Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and sought his guidance and assistance in order to speed up the issuance of court orders that will authorize PDEA to destroy seized illegal drugs,” said Villanueva in a statement.
The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 requires trial courts to conduct an ocular inspection of the seized illegal drugs, within 72 hours from the filing of the criminal information.
Afterwards, seized drugs have to be destroyed through PDEA after 24 hours of inspection.
“Through Secretary Guevarra’s intercession, the handling prosecutors of the pending drug cases will have the concurrence to assist PDEA to file appropriate motions in various courts,” said Villanueva. “While some motions were filed, PDEA still needs the concurrence to the motion to conduct ocular inspections, taking of representative samples and eventual issuance of court order for the destruction of illegal drugs in drug cases that are pending in courts.”
He added that PDEA is scheduled to dispose of another batch of confiscated drugs on Nov. 26.
