Six nabbed, P3.8 million marijuana plants burned

2 tourists arrested in Bontoc 

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad Benguet -- Cops of the Police Regional Office Cordillera arrested six drug violators and confiscated and destroyed over 3.8 million worth of marijuana plants and seeds in Cordillera over the past days, said Israel Ephraim T. Dickson, regional police director.

Dickson in a recent checkpoint operation, two marijuana carriers identified as Rufino Tenedero Marmito Jr., 20, tricycle driver, and Ernie Manapao Leongson, 24, call center agent and both residents of Barangay Tabe Guiguinto, Bulacan were arrested in a checkpoint in Sitio Ficoco, Samoki, Bontoc, Mt. Province afternoon of Jan. 19.

Suspects were aboard a Coda Lines bus bound for Cubao, Manila during the arrest.

Personnel of Bontoc police and Drug Enforcement Agency Mt. Province confiscated seven marijuana bricks and five fruiting tops weighing 8,200 grams worth P984,000 and personal belongings from them.

In separate buy-bust operations, two persons were nabbed Jan. 17 after selling sachets of shabu to operatives who posed as buyers.

Alleged drug dealers Nicole Anne B. Cabarlo was arrested at East Quirino Hill, Baguio while Ryan T. Tictica, 30, of Lamut Beckel, La Trinidad, Benguet was arrested at Kayang-Hilltop, Baguio City. Confiscated from Cabarlo were three sachets of suspected shabu,  buy-bust money and a cell phone while three sachets of suspected shabu,  and buy-bust money was also taken from Tictica.

In another operation, police arrested Edward O. Calayon and his live-in partner, Betty K. Yubos afternoon of Jan. 17 in Sitio Moling, Palina, Kibungan, Benguet.

Kibungan cops were conducting patrol and to check marijuana plantation sites when Calayon, who was holding marijuana stalks was sighted standing in front of a house together with his live-in partner who tried to escape.

However, both were trapped and arrested.

Some 14,850 grams of marijuana stalks and 500 grams of seeds worth P1,802,000 of illegal drugs were confiscated from them.

Meanwhile, over one million worth of marijuana plants were uprooted and destroyed in the municipalities of Bakun and Kibungan of Benguet province during marijuana eradication operations on Jan. 16.

Nine plantation sites were discovered by the operatives of Benguet Police Provincial Office together with members of the PDEA – CAR with a total land area of 1,215 square meters.

The troops uprooted a total of 5,015 fully grown marijuana plants with a dangerous Drugs Board value of P1,017,000.