Remulla clarifies actual volume of 'shabu' seized in Mindoro

In March 2026, a major drug bust occurred in Occidental Mindoro involving a speedboat that ran aground in Barangay Harrison, Paluan. Initial reports varied significantly about the volume of shabu seized, with some media outlets reporting 2.2 metric tons while others cited different figures. DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla clarified that the actual volume was 986 kilograms, not 2.2 metric tons, correcting earlier inaccurate reports. The seizure was part of a larger operation where authorities recovered 43 sacks of suspected shabu from the abandoned speedboat on March 10, 2026, with an estimated value ranging from P6.8 billion to P20 billion depending on purity and street price calculations.

Four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure, including two Chinese nationals identified as X Xinghan and Shi, who had entered the Philippines on March 5, 2026, and two Filipinos named Jonjon Hernandez and Ariel Sya Francisco. The suspects were linked to an unidentified woman who had been renting property in Batangas since November 2025. Secretary Remulla stated that the operation pointed to involvement by a foreign syndicate targeting Mindoro's coastline, with sacks bearing Vietnamese markings suggesting possible international drug trafficking routes.

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During his clarification, Secretary Remulla also asserted that the government is 'winning the drug war,' citing reduced drug supply and higher prices in the market as evidence of progress. He revealed that from 2022 to 2026, the government had confiscated approximately 8 tons of illegal drugs nationwide. The DILG chief emphasized that authorities would continue pursuing criminals who disrespect Filipino laws and communities, denying any local production of the seized drugs.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) confirmed testing on the seized substances, which showed approximately 90% purity. Following the bust, PDEA announced plans to coordinate with foreign counterparts to trace the source of the drugs. The incident highlighted ongoing challenges in drug interdiction along the Philippines' extensive coastlines and the involvement of international syndicates in the regional drug trade. The clarification from Remulla aimed to provide accurate information to the public amid conflicting initial reports about the scale of the seizure.