By Mar T. Supnad
CAMP BGEN OSCAR M FLORENDO, La Union – Combined elements from the Ilocos Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency scored a major breakthrough in their campaign against illegal drugs, resulting to the destruction of more than P2 million worth of marijuana in three separate sites in the boundaries of Sugpon, Ilocos Sur and Kibungan, Benguet.
PNP regional director Brigadier General Rodolfo Azurin reported that joint operatives of Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 1/Regional Intelligence Division, 103rd Maneuver Company, RMFB1, 2nd ISPMFC, Sugpon MPS, PDEU-ISPPO and PDEA-RO1, discovered some 8,100 fully grown marijuana plants and 10,000 marijuana seedlings with an estimated DDB value of Php 2,420,000 in three separate plantation sites on Oct. 26 at 10 a.m.
During the said operations, operatives discovered and seized marijuana plantations in:
• 700 square meter plantation at the border of Brgy. Licungan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur and Sitio Cullang, Brgy. Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet with 5,600 fully grown marijuana plants estimated to be worth P1,120,000
• 500 square meter plantation in Sitio Salicocong, Brgy. Licungan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur and Sitio Cullang, Brgy. Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet with 2,500 fully grown marijuana plants pegged with a markert value of Php 500,000.00
• 20 square meter plantation in Sitio Nagawa, Brgy. Caoayan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur and Sitio Cullang, Brgy. Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet with 10,000 marijuana seedlings worth P800,000.00.
“This is a concrete proof that our police is constantly and relentlessly working to completely rid our region of illegal drugs. We are determined to eradicate all forms of drugs in this part of the country, that is why I beseech the support of the general public, the LGU, because, we alone cannot make it, but with your help, in no time, we can make it possible,” Azurin said.
He further said that there were no cultivators arrested during the operation but the police are continuously conducting follow-up investigations.
Authorities immediately uprooted the illegal plants and burned them in the area, leaving only a few sample collected by the agents of PDEA-RO1, ISPO for Forensic Laboratory Analysis.
Marijuana cultivation is prohibited under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.