Drug haul inventory transparent — Abalos

There was full transparency during the inventory of the multi-billion peso drug haul seized by police in Barangay Pinagkurusan, Alitagtag, Batangas on Monday.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said Friday the inventory was conducted in front of authorities and civilian witnesses, and the entire process was recorded on video.

Abalos issued the statement to dispel doubts about the legitimacy of the operation after some quarters raised questions about the mammoth drug bust and its value.

“The entire operation was on video from the time the drugs were seized and laid down on the street for everybody to see. The witnesses were all there. This was open to the media,” he said.

Abalos, along with representatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police, were in Camp Crame on Wednesday to receive an update on one of the biggest drug hauls in the country’s history.

During the press briefing, Abalos disclosed that the final inventory showed the total weight of the seized drugs was 1,424.253 kilos. The current market price of a kilo of shabu is P6.8 million, for a total haul worth P9.7 billion.

Face value estimate

Abalos said the initial figure released to the public was a face-value estimate made by PDEA agents during the presentation of the seized drugs. Initially, the agents said the drug haul was 1,800 kilos worth P13.3 billion.