P106.5-M marijuana uprooted in Ilocos, Benguet

By Freddie G. Lazaro

CAMP PRESIDENT QUIRINO, Ilocos Sur – Marijuana plants, seeds and seedlings worth P106.5 million were uprooted by elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, police, and Philippine Army at the boundary of Ilocos Sur and Benguet last week.

The marijuana plantations, which have a combined area of 12 hectares, were located at the boundaries of Barangay Licungan, Sugpon in Ilocos Sur, and Barangay Takadang and Libong, Barangay Badeo, both in Kibungan town, Benguet.

Supt. Roberto Opena, Cordillera PDEA director, said operatives uprooted and destroyed 795,000 fully grown marijuana plants and 35,000 marijuana seedlings.

They also seized 2.5 kilos of marijuana seeds.

Opeña said that so far, it was the biggest haul achieved in a single operation in the country.

The PDEA agents, policemen and soldiers conducted a three-day operation that started Jan 16.

The operation was called "Oplan Buntot Pusa."

"The bulk of the uprooted marijuana plants was burned at the plantation, and some were brought to our office for documentation," Opena said.

He said that the estimated value of the destroyed marijuana plants was based on a Dangerous Drug Board rule which states that one kilo of marijuana plants has a street value of from P3,000 to P5,000.

Opena said a suspected cultivator of the marijuana plants had been arrested.
The identity of the suspect was withheld pending further investigation.

The operatives seized from the suspect a gun without license. Also seized were the suspect’s personal belongings and sacks of fertilizers.

Residents blamed the lack of help from national government agencies and local government units for the continued marijuana growing in the area, noting that they have lands good for food production.

Opeña said that the residents have long complained about the absence of good farm-to-market roads in remote areas, where they produce sweet potatoes that provide them meager income.