College students arrested smoking MJ at Burnham; another nabbed in park

BAGUIO CITY -- Security guards caught a 27-year old merchandiser and two college students smoking marijuana with three others in a dimly lit area at Burnham Park here Nov. 11 around 7:40 p.m.

Apprehended by Owen Hufana, MarcialCocoy and Christian Doton, all employed with the Interlink Security Management Company, were Armando P. Gilpo, 27, merchandiser, of Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan; John Paulo A. Magpantay, 18, 3rd year college student and Cesar Ian E. Rabang, 18, 2nd Year college student.

Gilpo and Magpantay are both residents of Barangay Labsan while Magpantay and Rabang are also residents of the city.

The three security guards were making their rounds at the Ibaloi Heritage Park of Burnham Park when they spotted a group of about six individuals standing in a poorlylig area.

As the guards moved toward the group, they smelled marijuana being burned; and as they get nearer, they noticed that the individuals were smoking what appearrf to be cigarette sticks.

Members of the group saw the approaching guards and tried to scamper away but the three suspects were caught.
Confiscated from Gilpo was a marijuana stick while confiscated from agpantay were two marijuana sticks.

Seized from Rabang were dried marijuana fruiting tops. The seized marijuana had a total weight of 4.03 grams valued at P110.

Urine samples taken from Gilpo, Magpantay and Rabang were reportedly positive of marijuana.

Meanwhile earlier, TeofanesPaclauna of the Baguio Civilian Volunteers against Crime and Kagawad Roland Padsingan of Rizal Monument here caught Anthony R. Castillo alias “Tolig,” 34 of Upper Magsasysay Barangay in possession of 3.10 grams dried marijuana fruiting tops valued at P77.50 at Chanum St.

Paclauna and Padsingan were on foot patrol when they accosted Castillo and grabbed him when he hastily tried to discard something from his right front pocket, which turned out later to be cannabis.

Castillo was apprehended in 2003 for illegal drugs, but was acquitted. In January 2009, he was nabbed anew for theft, and as soon as he got out of jail, he was again busted in June of the same year.

However, the drug case against him was dismissed.