Philippine President Announces Record-Breaking 1.8 Ton Meth Seizure

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that police have seized nearly 1,630 kilograms (1.8 tons) of methamphetamine, the largest haul of the drug in the country in years, without anyone being killed.

The massive drug bust was carried out in a coordinated operation in Batangas province, south of Manila. The seized drugs had a street value of more than 13 billion pesos ($228 million).

Marcos emphasized that the operation was conducted without any fatalities, marking a shift from the notoriously deadly crackdown on illegal drugs under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. The president stated that this should be the approach in the drug war, focusing on stopping the smuggling of illegal drugs into the Philippines rather than resorting to violent means.

The methamphetamine was seized from a van at a checkpoint in Alitag tag town, and the driver was arrested. Intelligence operations are ongoing to apprehend additional suspects involved in the drug trade. Marcos noted that the newly seized drugs came from outside the country, highlighting the need to prevent the entry of illegal substances into the Philippines.

Why this matters: The record-breaking drug seizure demonstrates the Philippine government's commitment to combating the illegal drug trade without resorting to the controversial and deadly tactics employed under the previous administration. This shift in approach has significant implications for the country's drug policy and its relationship with the international community, particularly in light of the ongoing International Criminal Court investigation into the killings that occurred during Duterte's presidency.

Under Duterte's presidency, over 6,000 mostly poor suspected drug dealers were killed in reported clashes with law enforcers, sparking international outrage and an ongoing International Criminal Court investigation. Marcos has vowed to continue the crackdown on illegal drugs but with a focus on rehabilitation rather than killings. He has also refused to cooperate with the ICC investigation into the killings under Duterte's presidency and stated that he would not hand over the former president if the ICC issues a warrant for his arrest.

Key Takeaways

• Philippine police seized 1,630 kg of methamphetamine, the largest haul in years.
• The drug bust was conducted without any fatalities, a shift from Duterte's deadly crackdown.
• Marcos emphasized stopping drug smuggling over violent means in the war on drugs.
• The seized drugs had a street value of over $228 million, highlighting the scale of the bust.
• Marcos refuses to cooperate with the ICC investigation into killings under Duterte's presidency.