More than 12.6 million worth of marijuana destroyed in Kalinga and Ifugao
CAMP MAJOR BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Once again in the hinterlands, 63,220 Fully Grown Marijuana Plants with a total DDB value of over 12.6 million were destroyed by drug joint operatives of PROCOR over the weekend in the provinces of Kalinga and Ifugao.
In Kalinga, more or less 63,200 Fully Grown Marijuana Plants worth Php12,640,000.00 were discovered and uprooted in a total land area of 7,900 square meters in Loccong, Tinglayan, Kalinga on July 4, 2020. This is a result of the OPLAN 07 Hawk Pumadcha which was implemented by the joint personnel of PIB/DEU, Tinglayan MPS, Kalinga PPO, RID, PRO COR, RIU-14, 1503rd, RMFB-15, PRO COR, PDEA Kalinga, PDEA CAR, PDEA R2, PDEA R1, PDEA R4B, 1st and 2nd PFMC, Kalinga PPO.
In Ifugao, 20 fully grown marijuana plants with a Dangerous Drug Board Value of Php4,000.00 was discovered and uprooted in a land area of 50 square meters at Awa, Ahin, Tinoc, Ifugao on July 05, 2020. The operation is a result of the cooperation of a concerned citizen who reported the presence of said illegal plants to the combined personnel of Tinoc police, Intelligence, and Drug Enforcement Unit personnel of Ifugao PPO, RID, PROCOR, RIU-14, PDEA-Ifugao, 1501st, RMFB-15, CIDG-Ifugao, and PMFC, Ifugao PPO.
Intelligence operations are being steered to arrest marijuana growers. However, as of this operation, no cultivator has been arrested.
The continuous eradication of marijuana plants is part of the continuing supply reduction effort of the government. “We need to be more aggressive towards totally getting rid of marijuana cultivation especially in some barangays in Kalinga and Benguet.” PROCOR Regional Director PBGEN R’WIN SA PAGKALINAWAN.
High ranking NPA official avails of government’s E-CLIP
CAMP MAJOR BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – An alleged high ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in charge of the “white area” availed of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), receiving financial assistance from the government on Thursday.
Anne Margarette Tauli, member of the Executive Committee and former Secretary of the Regional White Area Committee of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC) of the CPP-NPA-NDF who voluntarily surrendered on June 11, 2020 received on Thursday a livelihood package as the government’s support to combatants, supporters and those who would like to return to the fold of the law.
Tauli received a total of PHP65,000 initial financial assistance. Baguio mayor and Cordillera Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) chairman Benjamin Magalong turned-over the money— PHP50,000 for livelihood assistance and PHP15,000 as immediate assistance.
Also present were Police Regional Office (PROCOR) regional director BGen. R’Win Pagkalinawan, 503rd Infantry Brigade commander BGen. Henry Doyaoen and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional director Marlo Iringan.
Aside from money, a housing assistance for returnees from the National Housing Authority (NHA) was also offered to Tauli.
She was given three options whether to get the House and Lot package or cash assistance of PHP450,000 for the construction of a house if she has a lot or cash to help in the titling of a lot. A third option is cash assistance for housing repair or renovation worth PHP100K.
Tauli, like all the others who opted to lay down their arms and again give support to the government is assisted thru the E-CLIP, a program of the government to help them start a new life in peace.
In a statement before the public after receiving the amount, Tauli said “I am accepting this assistance since this is also from the people and will be given back to the people thru our projects in Besao (Mountain Province) where we started before Covid some projects for progress and peace in our town.”
She said that she is going back to Besao. “This is the last stretch of this process which I have gone into. This process of the DILG- this E-CLIP before I go back to Besao for my clan, relatives, the school, LGU whom I have worked with are waiting for me to come back.”
Tauli was subjected to RT-PCR testing after the activity on Thursday and will have to await the result before she returns to the province.
She said “Of course I know that the context of this process ELCAC [ending local communist armed conflict] which is also called whole of nation approach for a just and lasting peace and I pray that whatever little things we are doing in Besao with my kakailian (townmates) will help in this program and especially towards some progress and peace so that it’s not necessary for a largely military solution to the problem.”
Tauli said that during the three weeks she was in the custody of the military, she was treated cordially and was not coerced into doing things she did not agree on. Neither was she coerced to sign any document.
Tauli executed an affidavit in which she detailed her participation, her contribution to the movement as well as gave information on how money was funneled.
“I’d like also to thank Gen. Esperon and mayor Magalong, Generals Pagkalinawan and Doyaoen for allowing me to go back to my town. Though the process that I went through was grueling, it was cordial and ended up with this.” When she was fetched by the PROCOR at Besao using a government chopper prior to June 11, Tauli said she was not handcuffed.
She said she asked for Gen. Esperon’s help for her safety, following the death of her party husband Julius Soriano Giron, the CPP-NPA Military Commissioner, and his two companions who were killed in a firefight with government forces on March 13 in Baguio after resisting arrest.
BGen. Pagkalinawan said Tauli’s affidavit will be used later on.
He said the lady gave sworn statements supporting the revelations of Sadanga mayor Gabino Ganggangan about how the front organizations recruit students.
The police general said, “Hopefully matapos na yung ating insurgency with the surrender of Ms. Tauli (we are hopeful our insurgency will end with the surrender of Ms. Tauli).”
He also said that he personally supports the advocacy of Tauli at her town on pine tree management which is also the thrust that the region wants— to preserve the habitat of the Cordillera.
In a statement, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Ms. Tauli made a choice to support a legitimate government and advocate for peace.
“Life is a matter of making a choice. I hope you can help us convince others in the movement to make a choice.”
DILG’s Director Iringan also said the government is improving good governance, which is an issue raised by “our brothers and sisters” on the mountains.
“We want to send the message that we are looking into it so that there will be no more others who will go up to the mountains.
Iringan said that the cash assistance awarded to Tauli is based on the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), a government program to encourage members of the communist groups to have a new life with their families. He said that ECLIP is being implemented by the national government in order to motivate and inspire “brothers” to return to the folds of the law.**
