THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) burned over ₱16,086,800,984.03 worth of illegal drugs, primarily shabu, at the Integrated Waste Management Inc. (IWMI) in Brgy Aguado, Trece Martires City, Cavite.
According to reports, a total of 2,904,756.6818 grams of solid illegal drugs and 14,117.8500 milliliters of liquid illegal drugs were destroyed through thermal decomposition or thermolysis, a process where they are burned at 1,000 degrees Celsius.
The destroyed substances included 2,336,482.6324 grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, or Shabu; 529,906.1246 grams of Marijuana; 3,067.6948 grams of MDMA or Ecstasy; 8,790.8800 grams of Cocaine; 11,315.9900 grams of Ketamine; 10,146.2600 grams of Nimetazepam; 41.5600 grams of Toluene; 4.7900 grams of Opium Poppy; 0.5800 grams of Nitrazepam; 0.1700 grams of Diazepam; 4,506.7200 ml of Liquid Marijuana; 851.1300 ml of Liquid Shabu; 8,760 ml of Ephedrine; and 5,000 grams of surrendered expired medicines.
These drugs and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs) were part of seizures from various drug operations conducted by PDEA with their counterpart law enforcement and military units and are no longer needed as evidence in court.
Notable among the destroyed items were 1,480,315.2 grams of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, or Shabu, recovered in an operation in Zubic Zambales on June 20, 2025; 239,550.94 grams of shabu recovered in the parking lot of a restaurant along Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Salitran II, Dasmariñas City, Cavite on October 16, 2021; and other significant amounts seized in various operations across the country.
The burning of the ₱16 billion worth of drugs, equivalent to 2.9 tons, is the second largest in terms of volume and value in the country’s history. The largest was ₱19.9 billion worth of drugs, or 3.7 tons, burned on March 16, 2023, also in Cavite.
The destruction was witnessed by Honorable Jonathan Keith T. Flores, Chairperson of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, Secretary Oscar F. Valenzuela, Chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani R. Nerez, and other officials from law enforcement agencies, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and non-government organizations (NGOs).
