No trace of illegal drugs was found in the final residue of narcotics destroyed during a high-profile thermal destruction event led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., with authorities confirming that all four ash samples tested negative for shabu, marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy.
In a report submitted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the ashes retrieved from the thermal facility in Capas, Tarlac were tested to ensure accountability and scientific validation in drug disposal. The report was backed up by three photos of the actual testing.
The four bottles of ashes were collected from separate burn batches, each subjected to chemical analysis to detect any remaining traces of narcotics. All tests came back negative, confirming the thoroughness of the incineration process.
The event marks the culmination of a multi-agency effort to destroy PhP9.4 billion worth of illegal drugs, including a massive cache of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu recovered recently by fishermen off the coast of northern Luzon.
On Wednesday, President Marcos witnessed the chemical testing of random samples of the total 1,530.647 kilos of shabu, marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy before their destruction at the Clean Leaf International Corp., a waste management company in Capas, Tarlac.
The President has advocated a “balanced, humane, and evidence-based” approach to the anti-drug campaign to emphasize the importance of public trust in the government’s enforcement efforts.
The ash testing is considered a key safeguard in the destruction protocol and a strong countermeasure against allegations of drug recycling, a shift in policy that emphasizes the rule of law, inter-agency collaboration, and community involvement.
At the same time, the ashes would be disposed of following environmental regulations, concluding a comprehensive process that began with interdiction and ended with validated destruction.
The “floating shabu” haul worth PhP8.87 billion, one of the largest drug seizures in the country’s history, was credited to the vigilance of local fishermen and the swift response of maritime authorities — a testament, the President said, to the power of cooperation between government and civil society. | PND
