MANILA – Authorities recently confiscated approximately 28 kilograms of marijuana, valued at P39.6 million, from a shipment at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) earlier this week.

In a statement released on Friday (07 Feb 2025), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed that the illegal cargo was discovered during an X-ray screening of a container, which raised suspicions due to questionable documentation.

On Wednesday, February 5, a Bureau of Customs inspector was tasked with opening and unloading the container, which held 419 “balikbayan” boxes. Of these, 30 were checked and revealed hidden marijuana.

The suspicious contents were subjected to a K9 inspection, which confirmed the presence of dried marijuana leaves. The total weight of the seized drug amounted to 28,296 grams, with a market value of P39,614,400.

PDEA’s investigation traced the shipment to Vancouver, Canada, and authorities are now pursuing legal action against the involved parties, including the shipper, receiver, and forwarding companies. They face potential charges under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Director Emerson Rosales of PDEA’s National Capital Region office reminded the public that importing illegal drugs into the Philippines carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment and fines between P500,000 and P10 million.

ia/mnm

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — The chief of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is open to the use of marijuana or cannabis whether for medical use in the Philippines.

“My take is medicine is an innovation, we cannot guarantee na ito lang po tayo at darating sa future eh wala na, hanggang dito na lang,” FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate said.

“My take on marijuana is that I am open Filipinos must have a wide range of therapeutic indications, drug of choice so ako po ay for the record, to the Food and Drug Administration, as the director general is very much open for the marijuana as long as this has been streamlined as long as di makakasama sa ating mga kababayan,” he added.

Zacate said that the legislators will decide on whether to allow the use of marijuana for medical use.

Earlier, the joint House Committees on Dangerous Drugs and Health approved the substitute bill to allow the use of cannabis or marijuana for medicine.

Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, head of the committee on dangerous drugs panel, said that marijuana will only be allowed to be used as medicine but it will remain on the list as an illegal drug by the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act or Republic Act 9165.

(el Amigo/MNM)