Anti-narcotics agents train on GPS to locate marijuana plantations

By Emely Cayandag Fama

CAMP DANGWA, Benguet – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Cordillera has taped services of geodetic engineers on use of Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate marijuana plantations in the region.

With this, around 35 operating personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency – Cordillera Administrative Region will be trained by the Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines, Incorporated on GPS.

The first-rate training, slated Friday, at the Northern Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center in Km. 6, La Trinidad, Benguet, will enhance the anti-drug operatives’ competency in carrying out marijuana eradication operations in the Cordillera which had been tagged as main producer of the banned drug in the Far East.

Engineer Jo Raymund O. Fernandez, GEPI member and fifth placer in the 1999 geodetic engineering professional board exam and a Baguio boy, will serve as trainer.

Participants will be oriented on GPS units and system. Fernandez is the sole proprietor of the J.R. Fernandez Surveying and Engineering Services.

He specializes in geodetic surveys, geographic information system, mineral, land, cadastral and engineering surveys, computer aided design and GPS mapping.

He is affiliated with the Society of Philippine Accredited Consultants or SPAC, and Confederation of Filipino Consulting Organizations or COFILCO.

Meanwhile, the training program of instruction includes practical exercises, and tutoring on how to maximize the use of Google Earth.

Engineer Aliver E. Mangonon, GEPI-CAR chapter president and other officers will be present during the training.

GPS can be very useful in times of medical emergency during eradication operation or when there are hostile forces in the area, where evacuation or search and rescue operations are needed immediately.

The latest massive marijuana eradication in the tri-boundaries of Benguet, Ilocos Sur and La Union had been efficiently carried out through mapping out of coordinates.

Travel time of operating units was significantly lessened, wherein choppers were used and pilots were able to land troops in target sites resulting in the eradication of more marijuana plantations.