OVER 80 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and other confiscated illegal drugs worth approximately P560.4 million, were destroyed by police authorities in Cebu on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
A total of 82.34 kilos of shabu, 3.4 kilos of marijuana, 15.7 ml of nalbuphine hydrochloride, and 16 ml of ephedrine were burned at the thermal facility of Cosmopolitan funeral parlor on Junquera St., Cebu City at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The illegal drugs were pieces of evidence taken from several cases that had court orders for their destruction.
According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA 7), this was the largest volume of drugs burned by PDEA 7 since 2017.
PDEA 7 Director Alex Tablate said the large volume of burned drugs does not mean that the supply in Cebu has increased.
“As far as PDEA and PNP are concerned, based on the seizures we’ve had in recent months, it means that the PDEA and PNP are continuing their work,” said Tablate in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Tablate also credited the “good coordination” between PDEA 7 and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the large volume of seized drugs.
Decided cases
Many court cases have also been decided, and evidence with court orders for destruction were immediately turned over to their office, said Tablate.
Tablate praised the courts in Central Visayas for the swift issuance of permits to destroy evidence including over 25 kilograms of shabu seized at the port which was included in the burning.
“We are anticipating that if there are big hauls coming not only from us but also from the PNP, let’s immediately follow this by burning,” Tablate said to avoid the seized drugs from being recycled into the market.
For his part, Police Regional Office 7 Chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan said if the more than half a billion pesos worth of drugs had reached the streets and bought by users, that would have caused a big problem on peace and order, and many lives would have been ruined.
“You could imagine the danger this will bring to the streets and to those who will use it and those who will be victims of those who use these illegal drugs — innocent people who will be victims of those that are high from illegal drugs. So this will have a huge impact on our peace and order,” Maranan said in a mix of Tagalog and English.
Maranan vowed to further intensify the PNP’s campaign against illegal drugs in the region, saying he expects many street-level pushers to be arrested in the coming days. / AYB