Drug Board, PDEA budget in peril over missing shabu

Sen. Franklin Drilon directed the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to account for about 1,906 kilos of shabu missing from its inventory from 2004 to 2005 or receive a P1 budget for next year.

The budget of the two agencies totaling P740 million was not approved at the level of the committee on finance and would remain so until DDB chief Anselmo Avenido Jr. is able to answer queries on the missing shabu worth an estimated at P3.8 billion .

The issue of the missing shabu was revealed during yesterday’s budget hearing at the Senate, where the PDEA was seeking the approval of its P604-million budget and DDB of its P136-million allocation 2007.

The controversy followed last week’s crackdown by the PDEA on former officials linked to the pilferage of shabu from the storage room at its office along NIA Road in Quezon City.

Records submitted by PDEA showed that as of December 2004, agents had seized 3,269,484 grams of shabu.

Drilon said the accomplishment report of the PDEA showed that in January 2005, there were only 1,362,739 grams left.

"It is for this reason that I told them that I would not recommend the approval of their budget, and will be prepared to recommend a P1 budget for these agencies if they cannot sufficiently and validly explain the missing drugs and if they do not stop the purchase of luxury vehicles which is in contrary to the order of Malacañang," Drilon said at a news conference after the hearing.

Drilon said members of the DDB are the ones who should go into rehabilitation for allegedly diverting money received from the Philippine Gaming Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Manila Jaycees and other socio-civic organizations, which donate cash for drug rehabilitation projects of the agency.

Citing records presented by the DDB, Drilon noted that the money was being used to purchase vehicles. He questioned the purchase of a Toyota Camry, five Innovas and a commuter van.