PDEA has forensic labs nationwide
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has completed the establishment of forensic laboratories nationwide, PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. said last Wednesday.
Cacdac made the announcement during the inauguration of a drug-testing and examination facility in the Cordilleras.
He said for the last 11 years, the agency had only one forensic laboratory, the one at the national headquarters in Quezon City.
“Now, each PDEA regional office has a fully operational laboratory,” he said, adding the agency can now independently analyze seized drugs and administer drug tests on suspects.
He said PDEA has chemists who conduct qualitative examination of illegal drugs that would be used as evidence in court.
Forensic laboratories are now operational in the Ilocos, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Southern Mindanao regions.
Cacdac said these laboratories are capable of conducting qualitative and quantitative examination using gas chromatograph mass spectrometry. He said GCMS is crucial in the conduct of confirmatory drug tests to those who are tested positive in the screening tests.
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