Troops uproot over 100k worth of MJ
Joint government forces discovered and destroyed over 100K worth of marijuana plants in the provinces of Benguet and Mtn. Province.
PROCOR Regional Director PBGen R’WIN SA PAGKALINAWAN said that while scouring for marijuana plantations, operating troops discovered marijuana plants in the hinterlands of Kibungan, Benguet, and Sagada, Mtn. Province.
In So Moling, Palina, Kibungan, Benguet, 100 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants with a Dangerous Drug Board value of Php20,000.00 were uprooted by the joint operatives of Kibungan MPS, PIB, PDEU, Benguet PPO and PDEA-CAR on May 25, 2020. Said plants were cultivated on a 50 square meter land area.
Further, at Sitio Ayos, Barangay Fedilisan, Sagada, Mountain Province, 92k worth of marijuana plants were also uprooted by the joint operatives of Mtn. Province Police Provincial Office and members of the 54th IB, PA, CIDG-Mt. Province, RIU-14 and RID-Cordillera on May 24. The 230 fully grown marijuana plants were nurtured on a 60 square meters land area.
The troops burned on-site the marijuana plants and only samples were brought to the office for evidentiary purposes.
Two high value individuals and 11 drug pushers fall in a sting
Thirteen drug suspects including two high value individuals (HVIs) were arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted over the past days.
RD PBGen R’WIN SA PAGKALINAWAN identified the arrested HVIs as Jariel G. Dayawen, 26, who was apprehended in Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet on the morning of May 21, and another HVI in the PDEA list identified as Jeffrey P. Damian, 35, who was caught in Lower Kitma, Bakakeng Central, Baguio City on the same date. Along with their arrest was the recovery of five (5) sachets of suspected shabu, Php1,000.00 cash money, Php7,000.00 boodle money used for the buy-bust operation and one (1) cellular phone.
Recently, four drug pushers were also caught on the morning of May 25, 2020. Arrested were Aldrin Inutan Racho, Michael Manalo Galano and Oliver Buenavista Signey who were apprehended in Purok Mangga, Loakan Proper, Baguio, City, while Steve Laurent Noble Serafin was apprehended at Ongasan Road, Loakan Proper, Baguio, City. Confiscated and recovered evidence were eight (8) sachets of suspected shabu, the buy-bust money and one (1) cellular phone.
Other suspects apprehended were Jefferson P. Garcia, 24; and Julius L. Estrada, 23, arrested at Km. 6, Betag, La Trinidad, Benguet on May 21, while Jefferson Sta Ana Lim, Jerry Sta Ana Lim, Jan Mikhail Yumang Dela Cruz and Charles Hizon Valente were arrested on Ferguson Road, Guisad Central, Baguio City on May 20. Gathered evidence confiscated and recovered were eight (8) plastic sachets containing suspected shabu; 1 zip lock transparent plastic sachet containing suspected dried marijuana leaves with fruitd, Php1,000 cash money and Php6,000 cash boodle as the buy-bust money; 4 cellphones and assorted drug paraphernalia
Furthermore, Hyner Cornel Leung, 33, an OFW and a resident of Apugan, Irisan, Baguio City was arrested after he was caught in possession of assorted drug paraphernalia along Pacdal Circle, Baguio on the same day. Investigation revealed that Leung was on board a taxi which tried to pass by the PNP quarantine check point when he was accosted and failed to show any pertinent documents and was caught in possession of two tooters, one test tube, four parts of broken tooter and one weighing scale that caused his arrest.
The arrest of the suspects except Leung are results of extensive monitoring and intelligence reports conducted by the police.
All accused are now under police custody and charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were filed against them in court.
Further, police officers are trying to extract information from the suspects that may hopefully lead to the arrest of their drug sources.**
