President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate destruction of nearly PHP4 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu, which was discovered by fishers off the shores of Pangasinan on June 5 and 6.
“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the immediate destruction of the recovered illegal drugs. These illicit substances must be destroyed once and for all before they can cause harm to the Filipino people,” stated Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Isagani Nerez in a statement on Sunday.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 588 vacuum-sealed transparent plastic packs of shabu, weighing at least 587.8 kilograms and valued at PHP3.997 billion. The drugs were found by 29 fisherfolk from the coastal communities of Dacap Sur, Bani; Boboy, Agno; and Luciente I Balingasay and Poblacion, all in Bolinao, Pangasinan.
Nerez praised the fisherfolk, calling them “the true heroes.” He remarked, “Even in their own small ways, they prioritized the safety and well-being of others over their own and stood up for what is right.”
The fisherfolk surrendered the shabu to joint operatives from the PDEA, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Navy, and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“The retrieval operations highlight the strong inter-agency collaboration and cooperation among law enforcement agencies in protecting the country’s vast and porous coastlines from any threats of drug smuggling and trafficking,” Nerez noted.
He emphasized that the PDEA continues to forge partnerships with local communities, maritime stakeholders, and other government and law enforcement agencies to prevent the country’s seas from being used as dropping and transshipment points for dangerous drugs.
Nerez acknowledged the support of the PCG under Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, the PNP under Gen. Nicolas Torre III, the Philippine Navy under Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta, and the NBI under Director Jaime Santiago, as well as the assistance from local government units in Agno, Bani, and Bolinao, Pangasinan.
He also mentioned that continuous retrieval operations by the PCG and Philippine Navy are ongoing in the surrounding seas of Pangasinan, with the help of local government units and local fisherfolk.
Additionally, on May 29, PHP1.5 billion worth of floating shabu was found by 10 fishers off the waters of Masinloc, Zambales, and was surrendered to authorities.