Over P65-M shabu destroyed in Sulu: PDEA

COTABATO CITY - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office (PDEA-BARMM) destroyed more than 11 kilos of dangerous drugs with a standard drug price of 65 million pesos at the open ground of the Capitol Site, Hall of Justice Patikul, Sulu, on April 24, 2024.

Under the supervision of Director Gil Cesario P Castro, in collaboration with the PNP SULU Provincial Forensic Unit, the dangerous drugs were destroyed using the method dubbed “rendering inert” based on the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Guidelines for the Safe Handling and Disposal of Chemicals from Illicit Drug Manufacturing, which is intended for use in remote locations where waste management infrastructure and expert technical support are not available and where an immediate and pressing need exists for the disposal of seized illegal drugs.

The mixture is then molded into a cement marker placed at the entrance of the Hall of Justice in Patikul, Sulu, to serve as a testament to the joint coordination, collaboration, and cooperation of the herein agencies in the seizure and destruction of over 65 million pesos worth of illegal drugs.

"Let this stand as a reminder of our solemn duty in the campaign against illegal drugs, for it not only leads to ruin but also obscures the path to a brighter tomorrow," Castro said.

The destruction was witnessed by HONORABLE JUDGE SHENE CAÑETE of RTC Branch 4, Patikul, Sulu; Governor ABDUSAKUR M TAN, represented by Mr. Erwin Tan, Provincial Administrator; Honorable Anna Marie-Pierre Angele Ledesma, Sulu Provincial Prosecutor; Atty. Shine Nobel Shaipuddin of the Public Attorneys Office; LtCol Marc Maseda of PNP Sulu Provincial Forensic Unit; Media representatives; NGO representatives; local elected Barangay Officials among others in compliance with Republic Act 9165, otherwise known, as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as amended.

Likewise, joining the destruction ceremony were other key officers: PCOL Narciso Paragas, Provincial Director Sulu PPO, LTC Rolando T. Granados, Deputy G-7 of the 11th Infantry Division; CGCDRE Makaradat Uddin, Station Commander CGS, Western Sulu; and PCPT Bryan Joseph V. Alberto, 54th Special Action Company.

“By destroying these dangerous drugs, the government is sending a powerful message of integrity and transparency to the public. It is a demonstration of our commitment to keeping our communities safe and free from illegal drugs. Let us all take inspiration from this act and continue to work hand in hand toward a better, safer, and drug-free Bangsamoro,” Castro said.