To destroy drugs seized: City to buy two incinerators

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government will set aside P2 million for the purchase of two incinerators for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) to use in destroying drugs confiscated during raids.

The money will be sourced from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. funds of the city for 2019.

It was approved by the City Council and Mayor Edgardo Labella to provide PDEA with the equipment that will be used to destroy drugs.

As cited in Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, illegal drugs seized during operations must be recorded, analyzed, inspected by the prosecutor and the court judge, then disposed of within 72 hours of confiscation.

Councilor Antonio Cuenco, the author of RA 9165, said that the mode of disposal must be through incineration, which will involve high-efficiency combustion of certain solid, liquid, or gaseous wastes, and the process must be witnessed by the legislators and the public.

He added, that drugs should be destroyed within 72 hours following the receipt of a court order.

It was during the City Council’s Citizen’s Hour held last October 2, when the PDEA-7 reported that they are not able to destroy confiscated illegal drugs right away because they do not have the equipment such as an incinerator.

PDEA-7 also mentioned that drug incineration is not part of their annual budget because supposedly it is the offender who must pay for the destruction of the illegal drugs.

Last December 10, at least 80 kilos of illegal drugs with an estimated worth of around P194 million were destroyed through thermal incineration in the compound of a cement firm in Barangay Tina-an, Naga City, Cebu.

Most of the destroyed evidence was from the PNP Crime Lab and the Regional Trial Courts.

PDEA-7 assured that confiscated evidence from cases that were already decided by the court are automatically subject for destruction. (FREEMAN)