Solon seeks prompt destruction of seized illegal drugs

A bill seeking to order all law enforcement officers to immediately destroy all dangerous drugs confiscated during anti-drug operations has been filed in the House of Representatives to address drug pilferage and recycling.

Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said that House Bill No. 9668 would mandate all incineration facilities, including crematoriums, to render free services for the prompt destruction of all illegal substances, particularly shabu.

“Kung maisasa-batas natin ito, mapipigilan na natin and pilferage at recycling ng illegal na droga at wala ng dahilan ang ating mga anti-drug agents na tumagal pa sa kanilang kustodya ang anumang illegal na droga na kanilang nakumpiska,” he said in a statement.

(If we can pass this into law, we will be able to stop the pilferage and recycling of illegal drugs and our anti-drug agents will have no reason to keep in their custody any illegal drugs that they have confiscated.)

Under the bill, Barbers said any incineration or crematorium facility that would render services would be given tax incentives, entitling them to a tax credit of 10%, but not exceeding P50,000 of the taxable gross income for two years.

Failure or refusal to render free destruction of any seized illegal drugs by the concerned facilities, on the other hand, would be grounds for the suspension, revocation, or non-renewal of license or permit to operate their business.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) shall be the agency that would task the cremation facility to perform the drug destruction process, giving preference to the facility nearest to the court having jurisdiction over the case or to the place where the dangerous drugs were seized.

“The destruction and disposal of seized or confiscated illegal drugs and other substances shall be done through a Court order and the same shall be conducted with the strict supervision of the PDEA,” Barbers said.            

A PDEA official; an elected public official, preferably the one who witnessed the physical inventory of the seized drugs; a representative from the National Prosecution Service; a representative from the media; and a representative from civil society groups shall witness the drug destruction.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), meanwhile, will be tasked to issue pertinent guidelines and practices promoting anti-pollution measures concerning the drug incineration and disposal. — DVM, GMA Integrated News