Shipments of illegal drugs from China, which have been going on for years, pose a bigger threat to the Philippines and should be the focus of concern by Philippine officials instead of the reported occupation by China of some atolls in the South China Sea.
While there is much concern over the seized cache of “shabu” (crystal meth) worth P6.4 billion shipped from China in May, there have been other shipments, some of them unloaded in isolated islands facing Fujian, China’s southern province.
Reports last year said some of these shipments, in sealed plastic containers, were air-dropped in Philippine waters and monitored through sophisticated devices such as drones until they are picked up by their intended consignees.
During President Duterte’s state visit to China in October 2016, he was assured by Chinese authorities that they would help in intercepting prohibited drugs destined for the Philippines. The joint statement issued after his visit states: “To further strengthen the efforts to fight against illicit drugs, both sides agree to establish an operation mechanism for joint investigation on special cases and intelligence collection purposes.”
According to the joint statement, the two sides also agreed “to enhance exchange of intelligence, know-how and technology sharing on fighting against drug crimes, preventive education and rehabilitation facilities.”
In the P6.4-billion shipment, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) was alerted by an intelligence report from Zhang Xiaohui, the director of China’s International Enforcement Cooperation Division of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau based in Xiamen.
There are two conflicting reports on the shipment. One is the claim by Chinese businessman Richard Tan (Chen Ju Long) that it was he who had informed the BOC of the shipment. But in the Senate inquiry Tan was pinpointed by Customs fixer Mark Taguba as the owner of the shipment of shabu.
Another version comes from the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. After the seizure in Manila, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said it was the Chinese Customs officials who had informed the BOC of the shipment.
In a regular press conference, Hua said two arrested drug smugglers had informed Chinese authorities in Xiamen that the shabu hidden inside five printing machines were smuggled to the Philippines. Hua said “the Chinese side is ready to enhance its cooperation with the Philippines in information sharing, technical equipment, joint operation, drug rehabilitation and other areas to jointly combat drug crimes.”
“The drug is the common enemy of all mankind. It is the shared responsibility of all countries around the world to fight against drug crimes,” Hua said.
The shabu shipment in May came just three months after two Philippine agencies, the BOC and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, linked up with the Fujian Provincial Drug Enforcement Agency to stop drug smuggling into the country.
Whether the Senate inquiry amounts to substantive amendments to Republic Act No. 9165 (or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) remains to be seen. But the probe highlights the fact that China, President Duterte’s newfound ally, is the biggest exporter of shabu and its precursors not only to the Philippines but also to other countries.
Known in the trade as “cooks” and “chemists,” meth production experts are flown into the Philippines from China by drug syndicates to work in laboratories like the one recently dismantled on Mount Arayat in Pampanga.
Synthetic drug manufacturers in China have been able to ply their trade due to the country’s large and loosely monitored chemical industry.
One report said the lack of regulatory practices in China has made it easy for crime syndicates to divert chemicals with legitimate uses, such as fertilizer, pesticides and medicine, toward the production of addictive drugs.
Foreign Secretary Alan Cayetano should follow up on China’s commitment and ask Beijing to do more in stopping drug shipments to the Philippines.
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Alito L. Malinao is a former news editor of the Manila Standard, Now teaching journalism at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, he is the author of the book “Journalism for Filipinos.”