Marcos witnesses drug destruction in Tarlac

CAPAS CITY - President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday witnessed the destruction of P9,484,134,038.62 worth of dangerous drugs at the Clean Leaf International Corporation in Tarlac province. 

Together with the president was Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

“Dahil kailangan tiyakin natin na ‘yung mga nahuhuling drugs ay talagang sinisira at wala ng pag-asa na bumalik pa, na maibenta pa, na makuha, ire-report. At alam naman natin kung ano ‘yung mga ibang pangyayari na nakikita natin,” Marcos said. 

(We must ensure that the recovered drugs are being destroyed so that they won’t be sold. We know there are other things happening.) 

“Kaya – that is why I am here today just to see how the system works, para very, very solid ‘yung system natin from the capture of the illegal drugs, all the way until the destruction of the illegal drugs also,” he added. 

(That is why I am here today just to see how the system works so that the system will be solid from the capture of the illegal drugs, all the way until the destruction of the illegal drugs also.)

Among the illegal drugs destroyed were the 1,304.604 kilograms of floating packs of shabu, which have an estimated value of P8,871,307,200.00. 

These floating shabu were recovered by local fishermen off the waters of Zambales, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Cagayan. 

Meanwhile, PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez said the destruction activity was in response to the President’s order to destroy all illegal drugs as quickly as possible with nothing spared. 

“The destruction process was made in full transparency and in compliance with the requirements of the law on the custody and disposition of seized dangerous drugs. PDEA kept under close watch until the drugs were completely reduced to ashes,” Nerez said in a separate press release. 

When it comes to the recovered floating shabu where no person is arrested and no criminal case was lodged; the drugs were destroyed on account of a sworn certification issued by the Director General pursuant to Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) Regulation No. 1 Series of 2002. —KG, GMA Integrated News