The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) destroyed in Cavite on Thursday 1.3 tons of confiscated illegal drugs worth nearly Php 6.25 billion.
This is the second drug destruction-related operation of the PDEA this year, using thermal decomposition or thermolysis which takes up to 24 hours.
The drug enforcement agency has already destroyed a total of 25 tons of illegal drugs worth Php 76 billion, 70 percent of which were conducted under the Duterte administration.
A total of 1.5 tons of illegal drugs under the custody of the PDEA is set to be destroyed next month which may be attended by President Duterte.
“Ito ‘yung effort natin na mag zero-zero ang ating inventory sa ating mga tanggapan at magagawa natin ito next month. Talagang kaya nating makapag zero-zero (This is our effort to zero the inventory of our agency and we will accomplish it next month. We can really do it),” PDEA chief Dir. Gen. Wilkins Villanueva stated.
The destruction of the illegal drugs in the custody of authorities is in accordance with the directive of President Duterte. The PDEA has also previously pointed out that the destruction of drugs will prevent drug recycling.
“If it is confirmed three times, hindi lang isa, three times, sunugin na kaagad. And yung sample na nakuha, na-certify ng fiscal, yun na ang ebidensya. Kasi kung hindi, ang droga ninanakaw, nire-recycle. Pabalik-balik na lang tayo (If it is confirmed three times, not just one but three times, burn it immediately. The sample certified by the fiscal will be the evidence. Because if you do otherwise, the drugs will be stolen, recycled. This is just an endless cycle),” President Duterte stated.
The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 requires the conduct of ocular inspection of a judge on the confiscated contrabands within 72 hours to give way for immediate destruction or within 24 hours after inspection.
“Imagine, may mga kaso pa rito na as early as 2006 na cases. Talagang ang hirap i-leg work dahil ang layo na ng hahabulin mo eh. Imagine 2006, 2020 na ngayon, That is 14 years (Imagine there are cases here that dates back to as early as 2006. It’s really hard to do leg work because you have a long period to catch up with. It’s now 2020. That’s 14 years),” Villanueva disclosed.
Meanwhile, Prosecution General of DOJ National Prosecution Service Atty. Benedicto Malcontento stressed that there should be “a holistic approach from the law enforcement agencies” on the matter. – Report from Patrick de Jesus
