More than 19 kilos of dangerous drugs worth around P13 million were destroyed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Northern Mindanao (PDEA-10) on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

The contraband, seized from various anti-illegal drug operations across Northern Mindanao since 2024, was brought to a crematorium for destruction.

Under PDEA-10’s Destruction of Dangerous Drugs Program, the items destroyed included shabu, marijuana, marijuana oil, and drug paraphernalia.

PDEA-10 said the destruction was part of the government’s efforts to prove its sincerity in ensuring that these illegal items are permanently removed from communities.

“So nagde-destroy tayo rito ng once a year. So kasama dun, so lahat ng may desisyon na ang Regional Trial Court o wala pa o nakarating lang sa prosecution at walang nasampang kaso o kasama na yung mga nakuha lang sa interdiction o mga sinurrender sa mga courier natin ay isinama doon,” PDEA-10 Director, Atty. Benjamin Gaspi, said.

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) assured that its collaboration with PDEA will continue to combat illegal drugs.

“On the part ng PNP we try to monitor lahat hanggang conviction po. Binabantayan po namin yan kasi we do not want our operation to put into waste, gusto namin once nahuli namin, once na-prosecute namin diretso po yan hanggang conviction,” PRO-10 Director, Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman, said.

The Catholic Church also reaffirmed its support through ongoing drug rehabilitation programs.

“Because the church and I also believe that mutual support and collaboration with government agencies can effect change and there is always better result,” Rev. Fr. Jose Alan Pulgo said.

Aside from illegal drugs, expired medicines surrendered by drugstores were also destroyed.