President Rodrigo Duterte talks on the phone with PDEA Director-General Wilkins Villanueva following his meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases core members at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on Oct. 14, 2020. Beside the President is Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. ROBINSON NIÑAL/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday recommended a new approach to the destruction of illegal drugs where the contraband would be destroyed within 24 hours of confiscation.
“Kung marami ang shabu involved, there should be a fiscal on duty just to take a few random samples,” he said in a meeting with Cabinet officials.
Duterte said the illegal drug samples must undergo three stages of tests and be burned immediately after.
“Ibigay niya doon, on the spot, ang sample na nakuha niya and a test be made three trials to certify that it’s shabu. Then after than, within about 24 hours, sirain na agad,” he explained.
Duterte ordered Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Solicitor General Jose Calida to coordinate with the Supreme Court on the new methodology.
P8.16 billion worth of shabu destroyed
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday reported that P8.16 billion worth of shabu has been destroyed as of Oct. 14.
Año said the Philippine National Police has destroyed 1,200 kilos of shabu. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency also crushed 600 kilos of the illegal substance.
In his public address last Oct. 6, Duterte tasked law enforcement agencies to destroy all drugs within their institutions to prevent them from being stolen, used and recycled.
More than 369 kilos of shabu would be destroyed on Thursday, Año said.
Another 700 kilos have yet to be released by courts.
“So lahat po ito, Mr. President, sisiguraduhin namin ma-destroy para unang-una hindi na mare-recycle ito at mawala na ang supply dito sa market,” he said. John Ezekiel J. Hirro