LAW enforcers have destroyed P11 billion worth of illegal drugs seized during an operation in March, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
In a statement on Wednesday, NBI Officer-in-Charge Eric B. Distor said the destruction of what is considered as the biggest drug haul in the country’s history took place on June 2 in Trece Martirez, Cavite.
“NBI Chemists participated in placing the dangerous drugs inside the pyrolysis machine while other forensics officers were allowed to take photos and oversee the destruction,” Mr. Distor said.
The NBI, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and local police in Infanta, Quezon seized the crystal methamphetamine, locally known as shabu, and led to the arrest of 10 suspects during an operation on March 15.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) previously reported that law enforcers seized P13.2 billion worth of illegal drugs from 1,794 raids from March 6 to 19 alone.
DILG added that 61 suspects surrendered, 2,471 were arrested, and two were killed in those anti-drug operations.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra earlier said President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s war on illegal drugs was largely successful despite “excesses” committed by rogue cops.
“People now feel safer in the streets even at night due to the visible reduction in drug pushing incidents,” he told an online forum last week. “In that aspect, the campaign against drugs was fairly successful.”
Philippine prosecutors have filed charges in court against law enforcers in four cases and were planning to probe 250 more of what could have been wrongful deaths in Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs, Mr. Gueverra told the United Nations Human Rights Council in February.
“We are very much aware of these excesses,” he told the forum. “We have a drug war committee that really investigates reports of abuse or use of unnecessary force by law enforcement agents.”
The Philippine Human Rights Commission said the Duterte government had encouraged a culture of impunity by hindering independent inquiries and by failing to prosecute erring cops involved in the government’s anti-drug campaign. — John Victor D. Ordoñez