WHERE ARE THE SEIZED DRUGS?

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo T. Reyes yesterday ordered
an inventory of all confiscated dangerous drugs now under the custody of
the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Philippine National Police and
the National Bureau of Investigation amid allegations these are being
recycled and re-sold on the streets.

Reyes issued the order as he and PDEA chairman Anselmo S. Avenido Jr.
inspected more than a ton of shabu and marijuana deposited at the PNP Crime
Laboratory Group headed by Chief Supt. Servando M. Hizon Jr. in Camp Crame.

"We made this inspection trip to see how the CLG under General Hizon is
storing all dangerous drugs and to make sure that they remain intact and
unadulterated," Reyes said.

"I had this suspicion that me nangyayaring kalokohan kasi marami ngang
nahuhuli pero marami pa rin ang drugs sa kalye. And every time there is
burning of drugs, I become suspicious because it is evidence that is being
burned," he said.

Avenido, meanwhile, defended former PNP Criminal Investigation and
Detection Group chief Director Eduardo S. Matillano who has been accused
of keeping a Jaguar sports car belonging to a Chinese drug lord arrested
for maintaining a secret shabu laboratory in Tanza, Cavite.

"Merong official communication si Gen. Matillano sa DDB at dahil walang
proper storage o impounding area ang DDB, pinayagan siyang i-custody ito,"
he said.

Avenido said allowing Matillano to take care of the Jaguar is much better
than letting the car rot under the sun. But he said that there are
certain conditions in the DDB authority that should be followed to the
letter by Matillano and violation of any of it is ground for proper
disciplinary action.

Reyes refused to comment on the "Jaguar" controversy since "I have to look
into that first and it's not fair to give any statement at this point."

After the inspection, Reyes lauded Hizon and his men for their accurate
inventory and safekeeping of the confiscated drugs but stressed the need to
improve the current system to prevent chances of leakage.

"We need to double-check. But I must congratulate the CLG under Hizon for
doing its best," he said.