Including P31M from Bohol

PDEA burns P 478 M

Of illegal substances

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 6 (PIA)—Some P478,434,153.84 did not even show smoke when the courts in several areas in Central Visayas ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to dispose of the 70.35 kilos of illegal drugs by thermal destruction, June 6 in the afternoon.

And this is not even from the courts all over the Visayas, points out PDEA Regional Director Emerson Margate, pointing out that confiscated drugs from Negros Oriental and Siquijor were not yet among those burned.

Of the 70 kilos of illegal drugs confiscated and ordered for destruction, only 6.5 percent or 4.561 kilos or some P31 million would come from Bohol.

In fact, coming in unscheduled is the 15.5 kilograms of meth amphetamine-hydrochloride from Cebu’s RTC Branch 57, accompanied by no less than its presiding judge.

Of the 4.5 kilos of illegal drugs from Bohol, 2.1 kilos would be retrieved by the PDEA from the Bohol Provincial Forensics Unit; the safekeeping unit for confiscated illegal drugs following operations, some 300 grams would come from the evidence safe for the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 4, another 451 grams from RTC Branch 1, 331 grams from RTC Branch 2 and 132 grams from TRC Branch 49, according to the data from the PDEA Region 7.

Also included for destruction were 27.8 grams of marijuana from RTC Branch 51, and 0.05 grams from RTC Branch 4, and some 20 milligrams of Nubain (Nalbuphine) from RTC Branch 2.

Members of the Bohol Media accompanied by officials of Camp Francisco Dagohoy, peace and security executive assistant Gen Arturo Evangelista and representatives from the courts joined Cebu PDEA authorities, court representatives and the media in witnessing the destruction.

PDEA 7 chief chemist Ma. Jonah Pinanonang, in ceremonies a few minutes before the burning of the illegal drugs explained how the PDEA took the effort to secure the transport of the illegal drugs from their lockers in the regional office to Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, the accredited facility that is capable of generating sufficient heat to break down the illegal substances.

As to the facility, Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes Operations Manager of the Dychangco Group of Companies Engr Elbert Ebo said their incinerator is capable of producing 1,200 degrees Celsius of heat.

At 1,000 degrees Celsius incineration, illegal drugs are totally broken down into carbon-dioxide, which renders it harmless.

The incineration of drugs is now mandated by Dangerous Drugs Board Regulation No 1, series of 2002, which talked about a manner called thermal destruction method in accordance with applicable laws.

Moreover, it says, the PDEA may engage the professional services of third parties with thermal facilities covered by valid and subsisting permits and clearances issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, or other lawful appropriate methods as may be authorized by the Board, in consultation with DENR.

Before 2002, without a clear protocol of disposing illegal drugs, courts, witnessed by the PDEA, police and media, dissolve the illegal drugs in water and pour them in toilets, according to sources.

The process however stopped when the regulation of thermal disposition came about. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

GONE TO SMOKE-LESS. Over 70 kilos of illegal drugs after representative samples were taken from them, were fed to the incinerator, in compliance with the law on thermal destruction of evidence as ordered by the courts. Heated at 1200 degrees Celsius, the illegal drugs simply break down into carbondioxide, not even smoking, leaving only ashes as its trace.