THE REGIONAL Trial Court (RTC) in Bataan on Thursday inspected about seven kilos of dried marijuana leaves recently confiscated in Mariveles town before disposal by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Angeles City.
RTC Branch 4 Presiding Judge Emmanuel Silva checked the dried marijuana leaves placed in seven big boxes and a small plastic-wrapped pack at the Bataan provincial crime laboratory here.
The judge said there is a corresponding Supreme Court circular with respect to the inspection and destruction of illegal drugs, particularly when its weight is more than five kilograms.
“After the filing of the criminal case, the Court shall, within 72 hours, conduct an ocular inspection of the confiscated drugs and through PDEA shall, within 24 hours thereafter, proceed with the destruction, burning of the same,” the judge said, quoting the SC circular.
“So right now, we are inspecting it and in accordance with the procedure of the crime laboratory, the illegal drugs will be disposed and destroyed by PDEA,” Silva said.
He said the illegal drugs will be brought for burning at PDEA in Angeles City where there is an incinerator.
“Considering that in this case, the seized dangerous drugs weigh 6,857.814 grams of marijuana, the Bataan provincial crime laboratory is hereby directed to coordinate with PDEA after obtaining the required representative sample thereof and turnover of the remaining dangerous drugs subject of this case declared for destruction and disposition,” Silva said in his order.
The judge said accused Mervin Morada, 25, has been scheduled for arraignment.
Morada is detained at the Bataan Jail Management and Penology in Mariveles.
Operatives from Mariveles and the Bataan police provincial office under director Col. Joel Tampis arrested Morada during a buy-bust last Feb. 2 and seized the seven kilos of dried marijuana leaves.
Police estimated the street value of the drugs at about PHP800,000. (By Ernie Esconde)
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