More than P13B dangerous drugs destroyed in Cavite

Over P13 billion worth of dangerous drugs was destroyed in Trece Martirez, Cavite on Friday.

According to PDEA chief Director General Wilkins Villanueva, 2.1 tons of assorted pieces of drug evidence, worth P13,359,157,093, were destroyed using thermal decomposition, a process of breaking down chemical compounds through heat.

"We are about to destroy 2.1 tons of shabu worth P13.36 billion... Sobra po sa kalahati dito ang haul ng ating Philippine National Police and the rest is coming from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency," Villanueva said during the ceremony.

According to the PDEA chief, this was the biggest destruction of drug haul in the history of drug law enforcement. The laboratory service staff of PDEA and chemists from the Philippine National Police facilitated the destruction of the illegal drugs.

Data from PDEA showed the destroyed drugs include the following:

•     1,938,395.26 grams of shabu, with an estimated street value of P13,181,087,768;
•     77,921.73 grams of marijuana worth P9,350,607.60;
•     9,213.28 grams of cocaine worth P48,830,384;
•     3,240.01 grams of MDMA or ecstasy worth P11,016,034;
•     21,606.12 grams of ephedrine worth P108,030,600;
•     1.05 grams of ketamine worth P5,250;
•     10.05 grams of methylephedrine worth P16,080;
•     55.45 grams of diazepam worth P4,297.38;
•     4.48 grams of MDA worth P72.58; and
•     400 ml. liquid shabu worth P816,000.

According to Philippine National Police chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa, most of the destroyed drugs came from those seized during an operation in Bulacan province last June.

"Actually ito 'yung bulk galing Bulacan, almost 828, I think and then 'yung sa Cavite it's around 300. So 'yung kay Yuwen Cai, ito 'yung sa Bulacan," Gamboa said.

The anti-drug agency said the destruction of the dangerous drugs is in compliance with the guidelines set on the custody and disposition of seized dangerous drugs required in Section 21, Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No. 1, Series of 2002.

Villanueva ensured that PDEA "adheres to transparency, gives credence to accountability that strictly follows the existing laws and rules," in order to dispel the public notion that these illegal drugs are being reused or recycled.

"Never po mangyayari at kailanman hindi nangyayari ang ganoong scenario," he said.—AOL, GMA News