House Bill to destroy confiscated drugs filed

MANILA, Philippines — The chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs has filed House Bill 9668, requiring incineration facilities and crematoriums to render free services for the destruction of illegal substances seized during anti-drug operations.

“If we can enact this into law, then we can prevent the pilferage and recycling of illegal drugs. And our lawmen or anti-drug agents will no longer have any reason to keep these stuff under their custody, or any drugs for that matter that they have confiscated,” Rep. Robert Ace Barbers explained.

“If these incineration and cremation facilities can help us burn and destroy – free of charge – these confiscated drugs, then it would definitely be a very big help in our attempt to prevent drug pilferage and recycling that our society has been dealing with for a very long time,” he added.

In return, Barbers said facilities that would render services would be given tax incentives, entitling them to a 10 percent tax credit not exceeding P50,000 of the taxable gross income for two years.

“Failure or refusal to render free destruction of any seized illegal drugs by the concerned facilities would be a ground for the suspension, revocation or non-renewal of license or permit to operate said business/es,” Barbers said.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will supervise the destruction of the seized illegal drugs and designate an incineration facility or crematorium nearest to the court having jurisdiction over the case.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be tasked with issuing guidelines and practices promoting anti-pollution measures concerning drug incineration and disposal.