Cops burn P10.74- M marijuana in Bakun plantations

By Liza Agoot  

BAKUN, Benguet -- Police recently destroyed P10.74 million worth of marijuana in this remote town
    Police Regional Office Cordillera chief information officer, Capt. Marnie Abellanida said law enforcers uprooted and burned 52,200 fully grown marijuana plants and 2,500 marijuana seedlings in three plantation sites in the town on Dec. 2.
    He said the marijuana plants were discovered in a 13,070-square meter plantation in Sitio Legab, Barangay Kayapa.
Abellanida said this came after the recent eradication at Kibungan, Benguet on Dec. 1 where P2.2 million worth of marijuana plants were destroyed by police.
    On Nov. 31, Benguet police also destroyed P712,000 worth of marijuana, also in Kayapa.
    Abellanida said authorities have so far conducted seven marijuana eradication operations this month.
    Marijuana eradication operations are regular activity of the different police units in the Cordillera Administrative Region as part of government’s effort to curb supply of illegal drugs.
    Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. R’Win Pagkalinawan said anti-illegal drug operations were priority program of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
    Under his watch as head of the regional police, he said the goal is always to destroy and uproot marijuana plants while these are still seedlings.
    “Habang maliliit pa mabunot na natin para walang mahuhulog na seeds na tutubo na naman (We need to uproot these while still small, so there would be no seeds falling and growing again),” he said.
    He urged residents to help the police by providing information on the existence of marijuana plantations.
    The PROCor’s consecutive successful marijuana eradication operations were reportedly due to continuous and intensive anti-illegal drugs operation in the region to attain a drug-free Cordillera and the cooperation of members of the community who provide information. -- PNA