President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged the media on Tuesday to witness the destruction of billions worth of seized illegal drugs to ensure transparency and prevent them from re-entering the black market.
“I would suggest that the press attend that, the destruction of the drugs para makita ninyo (so you can see for yourselves),” Marcos stated during his inspection of PHP8.87 billion worth of recovered “floating shabu” at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Gymnasium in Quezon City.
He highlighted concerns about past practices, saying, “Noon, alam na alam natin pag may nahuli, sabihin natin 100 kg. ang sinisira na lang kung ano-ano ng balot ang ginagawa, ngunit 20 kg. na lang ang 80 kg. na natira ay lalabas na naman ‘yan, maipagbibili pa rin (We know cases from the past where 100 kg. is supposedly seized, but only 20 kg. are destroyed while the rest finds its way back to the streets).”
To mitigate such risks, the President emphasized that all confiscated drugs must undergo proper disposal, citing procedures that require the presence of witnesses and adherence to forensic and documentation protocols. “Titiyakin natin ay ang proper disposal nitong mga drogang ito para hindi babalik sa black market (We will ensure the proper disposal of these drugs so they don’t end up back in the black market),” he said.
The drugs, which include more than 1.3 tons of shabu recovered off the coasts of Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos, and Cagayan, will be destroyed through thermal decomposition at a facility in Capas, Tarlac. Additionally, around PHP609 million worth of court-ordered confiscated drugs and expired medicines will also be incinerated.
Marcos reiterated that the fight against drugs is not solely about arrests but also about breaking the cycle entirely, ensuring that confiscated drugs remain destroyed. He also directed law enforcement agencies to strengthen their efforts in guarding the country’s coastlines to prevent further attempts to smuggle drugs via maritime routes.