By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – Authorities on Tuesday destroyed around PHP4.56 billion worth of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs) at a waste management facility in Trece Martires City, Cavite.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), which led the operation, said the haul included 1,136.5521 kilograms of solid illegal drugs and 657.1300 milliliters of liquid substances. The seized narcotics were disposed of through thermal decomposition, or thermolysis.
The destroyed substances consisted of 555.2393 kg of shabu, 442.9399 kg of marijuana, 1.6651 kg of ecstasy, 117.3860 kg of cocaine, 15.8149 kg of ephedrine, and 0.5070 kg of ketamine.
Also among those incinerated were over 43,000 grams of marijuana (kush) and more than 102,000 grams of cocaine recovered along the shorelines of coastal areas in Palawan between late 2025 and early 2026.
PDEA said the drugs were seized in various anti-drug operations or turned over following court orders for destruction after the successful prosecution and resolution of the cases where they were presented as evidence.
Under strict security protocols, the confiscated drugs were placed inside a high-capacity incinerator and are expected to be completely destroyed beyond recovery within 24 hours.
The destruction was witnessed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla, Dangerous Drugs Board Chairperson Oscar Valenzuela, and representatives from other law enforcement agencies.
“Ito ay mensahe sa lahat na sumusunod sa proseso ang gobyerno na, kung may nakuha [na droga], kakasuhan, ilalagay sa korte at, kung ibibigay na sa destruction, gagawin namin (This is a message to all that the government is following the process that, if we intercept drugs, we will file the complaints, bring them to the courts and, if they’re ordered to be destroyed, we will destroy them),” Remulla told reporters on the sidelines of the event.
Remulla said there is no “war on drugs” in the Marcos administration but a coordinated “campaign” that prioritizes legal processes and inter-agency collaboration.
“Ayokong gamitin ang salitang war on drugs kasi ang war on drugs is may casualty (I don’t want to use the phrase ‘war on drugs’ because in war there is casualty). This is a campaign against illegal drugs,” he said.
“This is the product of hard work, this is the product of collaboration. Trust the process. Trust your local officials. We will do our best for the country,” he added.
For his part, PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez said the agency remains relentless not only in seizing illegal drugs “but also in ensuring that once they are taken off the streets, they are permanently destroyed.”
He added the quarterly destruction of seized drugs is conducted in full public view to eliminate any risk of recycling and to uphold public trust. (PNA)
