Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. praised a successful raid Thursday that uncovered a secret drug laboratory operating in a remote island village in Occidental Mindoro province.

Nartatez said he has ordered a thorough investigation to identify and arrest the organizers behind the facility.

“The discovery of these chemical substances in Occidental Mindoro highlights a dangerous trend where drug syndicates exploit isolated island communities to evade detection, but the PNP is adapting quickly,” Nartatez said.