In Manila, President Ferdinand Marcos announced on Tuesday that the Philippines had seized 1.8 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine. Marking it as a record-breaking bust and endorsing it as the “right approach” to the drug war. The illegal drugs, valued at over $230 million, were discovered on Monday during a search of a van in Batangas province, located south of Manila, leading to the arrest of the driver.
Marcos personally inspected the seized drugs on Tuesday. Labeling it as the “largest shipment of shabu ever intercepted” in the Philippines. Shabu, a term used locally for crystal meth, is known for its affordability and highly addictive nature. It remains unclear whether this bust represents a record in terms of value or quantity of drugs seized.
Marcos emphasized that the operation was conducted without any casualties, injuries, or violent confrontations. He asserted that such careful operations should define the approach in the ongoing drug war. Authorities are currently working to trace the origin of the drugs. With Marcos stating that they were not manufactured domestically. Despite his administration’s focus on prevention and rehabilitation. The drug war initiated under former president Rodrigo Duterte has persisted.
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Philippines: Thousands of people lost their lives in anti-drug operations
Under Duterte’s leadership, thousands of people lost their lives in anti-drug operations, prompting international scrutiny over alleged human rights violations. Despite the change in leadership, the drug war has continued, albeit with a purported shift towards non-violent methods. According to data from Dahas, a research project supported by the University of the Philippines, over 600 individuals have been killed in drug-related incidents since Marcos assumed office in June 2022.
Carlos Conde, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, hailed Monday’s drug bust as evidence that drug enforcement can be conducted without resorting to violence, provided authorities adhere to due process. He urged the Marcos administration to declare an end to the violent drug war initiated by Duterte and to revoke his directives for the brutal crackdown. Conde challenged Marcos to translate his rhetoric on drug policy reform into concrete action, signaling a departure from the previous administration’s approach.
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