Lawmen burn P6-M marijuana in Benguet

By Dexter A. See

KIBUNGAN, Benguet – Police and anti-narcotics operatives destroyed over P6.7 million worth of marijuana plants planted in 20 sites in two villages during a two-day marijuana eradication operation that ended late Friday afternoon.

The plantation sites were located at the remote sitios of Legleg, Agadangan, Beleng, and Oydokan of Barangay Palina, and Sitio Delsig in Barangay Poblacion, Kibungan, Benguet.

Chief Supt. Orlando Pestano, director of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera, said law enforcers destroyed over 33,400 fully-grown marijuana plants intermittently planted beneath Arabica coffee plants with the same having an estimated market value of at least P 6.7 million.

Kibungan is one of the remote towns in this vegetable-producing province which is identified as one of the major marijuana producers because of its proximity with the remote municipalities of Santol, La Union, and Sugpon, Ilocos Sur which are also considered as marijuana producers in Region I.

The uprooted marijuana plants were burned on site while a certain percentage was taken by the law enforcers as evidence.

No marijuana cultivator was arrested by the law enforcers even if the plantation sites were located near residential houses in the area, and the marijuana plants were newly watered when the authorities arrived after several hours of hiking from the town proper.

The operating teams were composed of elements of the regional anti-illegal drugs special operations task group, Kibungan municipal police station, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Cordillera.

Marijuana is produced in the remote areas of Benguet, Ilocos Sur and La Union because the terrain and prevailing weather condition in the said places that are suitable to produce the illegal hemp which is being circulated in the different parts of the country and Southeast Asia because of its high grade.