CEBU CITY – In compliance with President Duterte’s order, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Central Visayas (PDEA 7) is set to destroy over P80 million worth of seized shabu, marijuana, and expired medicines.
PDEA 7 regional director Levi Ortiz said the court has already approved the destruction of illegal drugs that had been used as evidence in court hearings.
Duterte has ordered the destruction to prevent recycling or the process of reselling illegal drugs that had been seized in police operations.
Ortiz said the PDEA 7 is set to destroy 11 kilos of shabu and 20 kilos of marijuana.
Ortiz said the PDEA 7 had planned to destroy seized illegal drugs last August in Negros Oriental but it did not push through due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Ortiz said the PDEA 7 asked the APO cement factory if the destruction can be held in its facility in the City of Naga but it declined.
The PDEA 7 is hoping that the destruction at the cement factory will push through with the help of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
“We talked with the governor during a courtesy call and she said that she will be the one to facilitate with our request,” said Ortiz.
Ortiz said it takes time before seized illegal drugs will destroyed because there are legal processes to be followed.
“We want to let the public understand that these seized illegal drugs are being presented in court hearings as evidence. These confiscated illegal drugs will be destroyed with the approval of the court,” Ortiz said. (Calvin D. Cordova)
