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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Show us your inventory, Barbers presses illegal drug custodians

Show us your inventory, Barbers presses illegal drug custodians

Published Feb 22, 2023 01:42 pm

The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs is now pressuring law enforcement agencies to show proof of their custody of illegal drugs confiscated during anti-narocotics operations.

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

This, after the panel chaired by Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers learned on Tuesday, Feb. 21 about a “commission” scheme allegedly perpetrated by informants wherein they get “paid” with up to 30 percent of seized illegal drugs from such operations.

“As of now, we have no clear knowledge or understanding on the disposition of previously seized drugs that are still under the custody of law enforcement agencies such as the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI),” Barbers said in a statement Wednesday, Feb. 22. 

“We know that pending destruction of those enormous amounts of seized drugs like 'shabu', which are still in custody of these agencies, there are huge temptations that their custodians could be bribed for large amounts of money, to pilfer or let go these illegal drugs for recycling,” he noted.

He said that he has asked the various agencies to account and submit to the House panel the complete inventory list of all seized illegal drugs that remain under their custody pending court resolution of their cases.

Barbers said he and his fellow solons want to know the whereabouts, the disposition and case status of the 990 kilos (worth P6.7 billion) of illegal drugs seized by PNP ant-drug agents in Manila in October last year; the 1,855 kilos of shabu (worth P11 billion) seized on March 15, 2022 in Infanta, Quezon; the P11.953 billion worth of illegal drugs reportedly seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in various drug bust operations in 2022, and subsequently turned over to the PDEA; and the 365 kilos of shabu (worth P730 million) seized in August 2000 from six Chinese nationals in Sariaya off Tayabas Bay in Quezon, among others. 

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“Under the RA (Republic Act) 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, may specific period ang batas na sa loob lamang ng 24 or 36 hours, kailangan ma-destroy na ang mga seized drugs (the law states a specific period of 24 to 36 hours wherein the seized drugs must be destroyed). Pero hindi ito nangyayari at maraming dahilan ang mga anti-drug agents to keep them under their custody (But this doesn't happen and there are many reasons for anti-drug agents to keep them under their custody)," the veteran solon noted.

"At kung nasa custody nila ang mga ito, malaki ang tendency na ma-pilfer, mawala at ma-recycle ang mga droga na ito (And if these drugs remain in their custody, there's a big tendency for these to be pilfered, lost, or recycled),” he said.

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Robert Ace Barbers committee on dangerous drugs illegal drugs PDEA
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