A text message from a concerned citizen led to the arrest of three individuals attempting to transport close to a million pesos worth of marijuana from La Trinidad, Benguet to Baguio City night of Dec. 6.
Baguio City Police Office Director Allen Rae Co reported seven kilos of marijuana worth P840,000 were confiscated from the suspects who were intercepted by the BCPO Camdas station in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Baguio and La Trinidad police intelligence units at Lower Magsaysay Road, Happy Homes, Baguio City.
The suspects were identified as Manuel S. Balbuena, 22, of Balagtas, Bulacan residing at Tacay Road, Baguio City; Kasmir Vince D. Gile, 28, of Quezon Hill, Baguio City; and Keihl Gio P. Baniqued, 22, of Lower Q.M., Baguio City.
BCPO Camdas station operatives set up a checkpoint at the city-La Trinidad limits after receiving a text message from a concerned citizenat 8 p.m. of Dec. 6 regarding a vehicle bearing license plate ZHX 404 said to be carrying marijuana from La Trinidad.
At 9:30 p.m., the police flagged down a black Fortuner bearing the said plate number at the checkpoint, but the driver ignored them and sped towards Baguio City, prompting the police at the Hotel Supreme area to stop the fleeing vehicle.
The personnel requested the driver and passenger to roll down their windows and then they saw four tubes covered with green wrappers and a bag.
They asked the vehicle owner to open the tubes and saw suspected flowering marijuana plants. The bag contained three more pieces of suspected marijuana stalks in tubular form. The illegal goods weighing seven kilos were confiscated along with a black cellphone with casing, suspects’ identification cards, and two black backpacks.
The suspects will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. – Hanna C. Lacsamana
