Illegal drugs worth P9.4 billion were fully destroyed in a high-profile thermal destruction event led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Authorities confirmed that ash samples tested negative for shabu, marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that four ash samples from separate burn batches at the Clean Leaf International Corp. facility in Capas, Tarlac underwent chemical analysis. All tests showed no traces of narcotics, ensuring the thoroughness of the incineration process.
The event capped a multi-agency effort to destroy 1,530.647 kilos of illegal drugs, including a massive P8.87 billion “floating shabu” haul recently recovered by fishermen off northern Luzon. Marcos Jr. witnessed the chemical testing as part of the destruction protocol.
The President emphasized a “balanced, humane, and evidence-based” approach to the anti-drug campaign, highlighting public trust and transparency. Ash testing serves as a key safeguard against drug recycling allegations and reflects a focus on law, cooperation, and community involvement.
The ashes will be disposed of following environmental rules, completing a careful process from seizure to validated destruction.
Marcos Jr. praised the cooperation between government and civil society, especially the vigilance of fishermen and maritime authorities in this historic drug bust.IMT
