COTABATO CITY 鈥� Thanks to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), a unique community marker was erected in Jolo, Sulu, as a way to remind the public about the dangers of narcotics.
And it鈥檚 of the stuff only a few agencies like PDEA can handle.
The marker is made of concrete 鈥� but with crystal meth or 鈥渟habu鈥欌�� thrown into the mix.
In an activity held at the Hall of Justice grounds on Wednesday, the PDEA disposed of about 5.6 kilos of shabu in this manner.
Two metal plaques were then placed on top of the marker, which looks like a lectern about three feet tall, declaring it as 鈥渁 testament to the joint coordination, collaboration and cooperation鈥� of various law enforcement agencies that led to the drug seizure.
Pricey piece of work
鈥淟et this stand as a reminder of our solemn duty in the campaign against illegal drugs (which) only lead to ruin (and) obscure the path to a brighter tomorrow,鈥� the inscription reads.
One can make the argument that, for its size, the marker is one of the most 鈥渆xpensive鈥欌�� to be built in the country. The batch of shabu that was destroyed that day had an estimated street value of P34 million.
READ: PDEA agents seize P20M in meth from Sulu village councilman听
Gil Cesario Castro, the PDEA director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the drug haul was used as evidence in 97 cases that were heard in the Jolo Regional Trial Court.
The cases were the result of antidrug operations dating back to 2022.
A similar marker was built in Jolo on April 24, involving some P65 million worth of illegal drugs.
Rendered 鈥榠nert鈥�
鈥淭his significant operation utilized a unique method known as 鈥榬endering inert,鈥� making the BARMM听as the first region in the country to adopt this approach,鈥� Castro said.
The procedure adheres to the guidelines set by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for the safe handling and disposal of chemicals related to illegal drug production, he added.
The process basically renders the drug unrecyclable. Before its adoption by PDEA, confiscated drugs are usually destroyed by local enforcers through incineration.
About P200 million worth of听shabu听have been seized this year by authorities in the BARMM.
Castro thanked the local governments of Sulu, the prosecution service, the local courts, and the police forensics unit for supporting PDEA operations.
Wednesday鈥檚 drug disposal that ended with the installation of the monument was witnessed by Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan.
While a recent Supreme Court ruling affirmed the removal of Sulu from the composition of the BARMM, the PDEA regional office still considers the province as part of its jurisdiction.
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