The various anti-illegal drug units of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera seized and destroyed P20.8 million worth of illegal drugs last month.
PRO-Cor Information Officer, Lt/Col. Carolina Lacuata, reported the police units conducted 29 operations that led to the destruction of 75,850 fully-grown marijuana plants; marijuana seedlings; 20,000 grams of marijuana stalks; and 55.96 grams of shabu.
Lacuata said 28 suspects were arrested, of which 22 cases were filed in courts while 11 drug personalities have surrendered to authorities last month.
The police implemented a search warrant on drug suspect Benjie Alaban, 32, from Flora, Apayao on Oct. 28. Alaban and his companion Hominick Alawid Bacday, 30, also of Flora were arrested after three pieces of plastic sachets containing one pouch of suspected shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia were confiscated from them.
Philippine National Police Director, Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan, who earlier visited PRO-Cor at Camp Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Benguet, said the PNP will sustain its anti-marijuana operations in the region where the illegal plants grow.
He acknowledged there are few apprehensions of cultivators onsite during anti-marijuana eradications.
“We will continue to patrol these areas where marijuana grows. As for those growing in private lots, we will evaluate and review if (the lot is titled) then we will investigate so we could apprehend the cultivators,” Cascolan said. – Ofelia C. Empian
