Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) destroyed P16,086,800,984.03 worth of dangerous drugs at the Integrated Waste Management Inc. (IWMI) in Barangay Aguado here on Thursday.
The activity was witnessed by Jonathan Keith Flores, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs and representative of the second district of Bukidnon.
He was joined by Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) chairman Secretary Oscar Valenzuela, PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez, Philippine National Police acting chief LtGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, PDEA key officials, local officials of Barangay Aguado, representatives from other law enforcement agencies, Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and media people.
A total of 2,904,756.6818 grams of solid illegal drugs and 14,117.8500 milliliters of liquid illegal drugs were destroyed through thermal decomposition or thermolysis.
Among the illegal drugs that were destroyed were 2,336,482.6324 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu; 529,906.1246 grams of marijuana; 3,067.6948 grams of MDMA or ecstasy; 8,790.8800 grams of cocaine; 11,315.9900 grams of ketamine; 10,146.2600 grams of nimetazepam; 41.5600 gram of toluene; 4.7900 grams of opium poppy; 0.5800 gram of nitrazepam; 0.1700 gram of diazepam; 4,506.7200 ml of liquid marijuana; 851.1300 ml. of liquid shabu; 8,760 ml of ephedrine; and 5,000 grams of assorted surrendered expired medicines.
The dangerous drugs were seized from various anti-drug operations conducted by PDEA, together with other law enforcement agencies, including those turned over by authorities that were recently ordered by the court to be destroyed. The burned illegal drugs served as evidence in the expeditious prosecution and disposition of drug cases.
Stacked inside an incinerator and under tight watch, the dangerous drugs will be burned beyond recovery for 24 hours.
Among the dangerous drugs destroyed were the 1,480,315.2 grams of shabu recovered during an interdiction and coastline operation along the waters of Subic, Zambales on June 20, 2025; 239,550.94 grams of shabu seized at the parking lot of a restaurant along Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Salitran 2, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on Oct. 16, 2021; 119,843.3207 grams of shabu seized during an interdiction operation at Port of Calapan, Barangay San Antonio, Calapan City on March 21, 2025; 49,705.2 grams of shabu confiscated during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa City on March 14, 2025; 39,826.7 grams of shabu seized during an interdiction operation in Batangas Port on Sept. 16, 2025; and 28,986.2 grams of shabu confiscated following a buy-bust operation in BF Homes, Parañaque City on May 10, 2025.
Also burned were a total of 143,161 grams of shabu packs recovered by local fishermen along the coastal waters of Bataan and Batanes that were turned over to authorities.
“The destruction process is always done in full view of the public guided by the principle of transparency and accountability to address issues of drug recycling,” said Nerez.
“Our actions are open to the Filipino people as championed under the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” added Nerez.
It is also worth mentioning that the destruction of P16 billion or 2.9 tons of dangerous drugs was the second largest in terms of volume and value in the country’s history of drug law enforcement. The largest was the destruction of P19.9 billion of drugs weighing 3.7 tons last March 16, 2023, in Cavite. Both unprecedented destruction happened during the present administration.
“This is in response to the directive of President Marcos to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs by going after high-level syndicated drug traffickers, to include small-time drug pushers, then quickly eliminate the seized drugs,” added Nerez.
Since the assumption of Nerez as PDEA director general about eight months ago, 14 destruction activities were conducted nationwide that led to the extermination of almost P33 billion worth of dangerous drugs during the period.
The destruction of dangerous drugs is replicated throughout the country as PDEA regional offices took turns in destroying seized drugs as regularly as possible.
The PDEA chief commended the efforts of the different branches of regional trial courts (RTCs) for the swift prosecution and disposition of drug cases which paved the way for the expeditious destruction of the dangerous drugs.
He also expressed his gratitude to other law enforcement agencies that extended support during the conduct of anti-drug operations where the destroyed drugs are seized.
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