7 ‘tourists’ from Sagada bound to Manila
BAGUIO CITY-- A total of
nine marijuana couriers, believed to have been paid to pose as tourists from
Metro Manila, was recently arrested in in Ifugao and Kalinga checkpoints,
authorities said Tuesday.
Police
Regional Office Cordillera Regional Director Brig. Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson
reported the arrest of the seven suspects in Ifugao and two in Kalinga, all of
whom came from Metro Manila for illegal transport of marijuana.
Facing
illegal transport of marijuana are Jerick Villacorte Crisostomo, 36, of Mata
Extension, Tondo, Manila; Reniel dela Cruz Espinosa, 23, student; Daniel Urbano
Gavino Tejada, 22; both from Taguig City; Titus Jacob Tallada, 20, student, of
Sta. Mesa, Manila; Joshua Pagador Dacillo, 19, student; Reynaldo Tinagan Jerez
Jr., 19; both of San Jose, Del Monte, Bulacan; and a 17-year-old male student
from Fairview, Quezon.
The seven
were on board a CODA bus from Sagada, Mountain Province and were bound for
Cubao in Quezon City.
They were
arrested at a checkpoint in Viewpoint, Banaue, Ifugao on July 21.
During
an inspection, a total of 14 bricks and 4 tubular dried marijuana leaves worth
P2.015 million were confiscated from the group.
In the
evening of the same day, Delfher Jay Navarrete Abancia, 24; and Zamier Galo,
22, Grade 11 student of Malate Catholic School, both residents of Adriatico
St., Malate, Manila were nabbed at a checkpoint at Talaca, Agbannawag, Tabuk
City, Kalinga while onboard a Victory Liner Bus from Tabuk City to Manila.
Seized from
them were 15 bricks and stalks of dried marijuana leaves, a pack of elongated
rolls or tubular dried marijuana leaves and a medium-size plastic bag
containing crushed dried marijuana leaves and stalks worth P1.88 million.
“Marami
na kaming natatanggap na report na binabayaran sila para maging
turista at pagbalik sa Metro Manila ay may dala na sila namarijuana
(We have received several reports that there are young people who are paid to
pose as tourists to visit the Cordillera but bring with them marijuana when
they return to Metro Manila),” Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera
Administrative Region (PDEA-CAR) information officer Rosel Sarmiento said.
“Dahil sa
malaking bayad sa kanila at nakakapasyal pa sila (Because they are paid
with a large amount of money, they can still visit and see the tourist
destinations),” Sarmiento said.
Sarmiento
said the modus operandi has been popular in the recent months as can be proven
by the several arrests made by the Philippine National Police, PDEA and other
law enforcement agencies.
“Transporters
used to be arrested in checkpoints, most of the men who are of age but due to
the arrests during checkpoint operations, the modus operandi shifted to sending
young people in tourist destinations for a fee,” Sarmiento said. (PNA)
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