LA TRINIDAD, Benguet
-- Authorities destroyed more than P73-million worth of marijuana plants and
seedlings during a three-day eradication operation in Benguet, the Philippine
Drug Enforcement Agency said on Thursday.
PDEA director general
Arturo Cacdac Jr. said that anti-narcotics agents and members of the Philippine
National Police raided and destroyed marijuana stalks, plants and seedings in
62 plantations the province from Jan. 10 to Jan. 12.
"The operating
teams have discovered the marijuana plants, stalks and seedlings in 62
cultivation sites in SitiosKinmayad, Agay-ay and Lubban in Barangay Kayapa,
Bakun, Benguet; Sitios Tebteb, Lukoc, Lebeng, Batoan of Barangay Badeo; and
Beleng of Barangay Palina, all in Kibungan, Benguet, covering a total of 43,443
square meters of land area," Cacdac said.
A total of 222,175
fully-grown marijuana plants were uprooted and destroyed together with 13,000
pieces of marijuana seedlings, 225 kilograms of marijuana stalks and 15
kilograms of marijuana seeds with an overall value of P73,445,000, as a result
of the operation. However, no cultivators were arrested, he added.
"Marijuana is a
perennial plant that naturally thrives in high altitude areas and is the second
drug of choice. With these glaring facts, PDEA continues to step up its offensive
in destroying cultivation sites in mountainous areas in the country,"
Cacdac said.
In 2013, government
conducted a total of 50 marijuana eradication operations, destroying marijuana
plants and seedlings worth P471.6 million in 419 cultivation sites in the
tri-boundaries of Ilocos Sur, La Union and Benguet.
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