The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has conducted specialized training for newly-hired Drug Forensic Chemists and Dangerous Drugs Regulation Officers (DDROs).
In a statement, the PDEA explained that the training will last for approximately six months and was aimed at preparingthe newly-onboarded chemists for forensic work, particularly on qualitative examination of dangerous drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs).
The program will also acquaint the concerned parties in the handling and preservation of seized drug evidence, concept of “chain of custody,” jurisprudence and proper disposition of confiscated illegal drugs.
On the other hand, the DDRO-trainees shall be taught the proper evaluation, processing and issuance of licenses and permits to industry partners, medical practitioners, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers and retailers engaged in the importation, distribution, manufacture, prescription, dispensing and selling of CPECs.
PDEA Deputy Director General for Operations Renato Gumban together with Director Agnes Mandap of the Compliance Service and Chemist V Angela Salvador, Acting Director of the Laboratory Service shared their thoughts about the training.
Earlier, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) donated equipment on metrology standards to harness scientific and technological techniques in a bid to attain a drug-free Philippines.
The PDEA said that the donated instruments serve as an added value in ensuring the correctness and reliability of its drug forensic results and create improved methods in its forensic analysis as both agencies pledged to work in the country’s relentless illegal drug campaign.
“The equipment include 18 sets of test weights and 18 units of digital thermo hygrometer, which will equip the PDEA’s drug forensic laboratories and chemists to practice accuracy, consistency, uniformity, reliability and comparability in measuring samples of seized pieces of drug evidence,’’ the PDEA noted. (Chito A. Chavez)
Apart from the donation, a document that provides guidance on how to estimate measurement uncertainty in drug evidence weight reporting, was officially endorsed by the DOST to PDEA which “is a collaborative product of PDEA Laboratory Service and DOST’s National Metrology Laboratory (NML).’’
The donated instruments serve as an added value in ensuring the correctness and reliability of PDEA’s drug forensic results and create improved methods in its forensic analysis as both agencies pledged to work as one in harnessing science and technology towards the fulfillment of a drug-free nation.
PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo and Dr. Annabelle Briones, Director of the DOST-ITDI signed the Deed of Donation in the presence of key officers from both parties.