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[av_heading heading=’ Suspicion raised on illegal drug ‘recycling’ ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – Law enforcers were pressed to destroy more illegal drug evidence as Sen. Richard Gordon raised suspicion on the possible “recycling” of prohibited substances seized in antidrug operations.
Since 2012 the courts have ordered the destruction of only 4,320 kilograms of shabu, said Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating the P6.4-billion shabu shipment from China.
Under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, seized drugs should be disposed of after an ocular inspection by the court within 72 hours and the filing of criminal complaint.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) should quash suspicions that seized drugs were being “recycled” and sold back on the streets by “a fifth column in the judiciary or in law enforcement agencies,” said Gordon.
“I am trying to open your eyes to the fact na ang dami-dami nating nababasa sa pahayagan, ang dami-daming nagkakamatayan, ang dami ng droga diumano’y nahuhuli pero ang nasusunog lamang ay kakapiranggot – 4,319.8 kilograms in five years,” he said.
There must be “something wrong” with drug enforcement authorities, Gordon said.
“Sa nababasa ko, lampas-lampasan na iyan,” he added. “Sa dinami-dami ng nahuhuli, sa dinami-dami ng napapatay sa bakbakan ng mga pulis, mga drug pushers na napapatay, nakukulong, 4,319.8 kilograms lang.”
Considering the bulk of drugs entering the Philippines, this suggests that seized drug evidence were being recycled, Gordon said.
“Pagsususpetsahan ng bayan diyan ang gobyerno – lalo na ang PDEA, lalo na ang husgado, lalo na ang National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), lalo na ang kapulisan, na marami pa ding drugs. My goodness,” he said.
“The whole executive and the judicial system of the government is [sic] now on the carpet – from Customs to the police to NBI to PDEA, and now to the courts – and conclusion diyan mabagal ang courts,” he added.
Gordon urged PDEA director general Aaron Aquino to “strictly monitor” drug operations and present a “state of the nation report on drugs.”
“Bantayan niyo ang nahuhuli ninyo. Ilan na ang nasusunog? Baka nire-recycle,” said the senator. “Unfair naman sa inyo, unfair sa pulis, unfair sa PDEA, unfair sa judiciary kung hindi nasusunog iyon at nire-recycle.”/PN
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