P1-B illegal drugs destroyed in Cavite

TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite — More than P1 billion worth of shabu, marijuana and other illegal narcotics were destroyed by authorities here yesterday in keeping with President Arroyo’s order last week to destroy all drugs seized by law enforcement agencies.

Among the drugs destroyed via thermal oxidation at the Integrated Waste Management incinerator in remote Barangay Aguado here were 652.916 kilos of shabu and 539.764 kilos of marijuana, or almost 1.2 metric tons of narcotics.

Also destroyed were a kilo of heroine, 25 tablets of Ecstasy, 934 morphine tablets, 19 ampules of morphine sulfate, 125 tablets of morphine sulfate, 21,107 tablets of diazepam, 202.048 grams of ephedrine hydrochloride and 222.56 grams of potassium aluminum sulfate.

Of the destroyed shabu, 64.321 kilos were seized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), 129.4 grams by the National Bureau of Investigation and 588.465 kilos by the Philippine National Police, including the 500 kilos seized from Panukulan, Quezon Mayor Ronnie Mitra in October 2001.

According to Avenido, the destroyed drugs — which had already been presented in and cleared by the courts, cover a total of 533 cases filed in court, with PDEA accounting for 342 cases, NBI 177 and the PNP 14.

The destruction of the drugs via thermal oxidation was witnessed by Interior Secretary Jose Lina Jr., Avenido and Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Agustin Dizon and other lawmen.

"The burning of seized, confiscated or surrendered drugs will be conducted as often as necessary depending on the court orders and the accumulated weight of drugs available for destruction at any given time," Avenido said.

Lina, for his part, suggested that the one-hectare resort in Tanza town that was turned into a major drug laboratory be converted into a drug rehabilitation center.

But Lina stressed that the suggestion would likely take some time because the forfeiture case on the seaside property with a three-story mansion was only filed recently.

The property, located at Barangay Capipisa in Tanza, is allegedly owned by suspected drug lords Chinese national Li Yalan, alias Jackson Dy, who was arrested with five others recently.

"For the evils it has brought to our citizens, the government is planning to transform the illegal drug facility into a drug rehabilitation center. Many people became drug addicts because of that place and maybe it is but proper that its victims be treated there also," Lina said.

He noted that the only government-run credible drug rehabilitation center is in Bicutan and is already housing hundreds of drug dependents.

Avenido, however, admitted that although Dy has already been arrested, lawmen have yet to dismantle his drug syndicate in the country.

"Dy is among the 13 leaders of transnational drug syndicates listed in our order of battle. We have yet to dismantle his local and foreign drug connections," Avenido said.