Authorities destroyed dangerous drugs worth almost P700 million seized during anti-illegal drugs operations carried out by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other law enforcement agencies in Cebu City.

Worth a total of P676.6 million, the dangerous drugs weighed a total of 99.45 kilos, the biggest accumulated haul PDEA destroyed since 2017.

Thermal destruction was used on the items at a funeral parlor.

The dangerous drugs were destroyed with permission from the courts where the drugs were presented as evidence in cases.

Several of these cases remain active, as of this writing.

As practiced, the dangerous drugs are destroyed so that they can no longer be recycled in whatever way.

“This significant activity is a clear message that these illegal substances will never find their way back into our streets,” said PDEA Director General Isagani Nerez.

Also present during the destruction were representatives of barangays, the city government, Philippine National Police, Department of Justice, and the Judiciary.

Councilor Paul Labra who joined on behalf of Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said the drugs destroyed represented the families who may have been broken had the drugs reached the hands of users.

“To some, these quantities may seem just like numbers but every gram of the illegal drug that is seized and destroyed represents lives that may be saved and families that may be spared from the devastating effects of drug abuse,” he said.

Labra is the chairperson of the City Council’s committee on peace and order.

Meanwhile, four private individuals who have been instrumental in the arrest of drug suspects received their reward from PDEA through its “Private Eye” initiative.

The agency allocated P700,000 for “Private Eye.”

“Your vigilance has helped save lives and make our communities safer,” Nerez said.