Marijuana plants uprooted in Balamban, Alegria barangays

A total of 257 stalks of marijuana were uprooted in two separate operations in the mountain barangays of Balamban and Alegria towns last Tuesday afternoon.

In sitio Gapo, barangay Matun-og, Balamban, 237 marijuana stalks were uprooted by barangay councilmen and eight tanods who just came fresh from a seminar on intelligence gathering that Balamban police chief Anthony Bagarinao conducted earlier in the day.

Bagarinao said that right after the seminar, the tanods went into a patrol in the barangay, along with some policemen and councilmen supposedly to apply what they learned.

In doing so, the team found the marijuana plants but failed to arrest anybody because the one who planted and cultivated them could have fled the area upon sensing the authorities.

The illegal plants are now in police custody for disposition, said Bagarinao.

The same day in sitio Palaypay, barangay Lepanto, Alegria, the police led by SPO3 Marcial Villarin also uprooted 20 marijuana plants, based on information the barangay intelligence network had earlier relayed to them.

Alegria police chief Dionpe Español said no man could be identified as the alleged owner of the marijuana plants because these were planted on a timberland area, 20 kilometers away from the town proper. - Flor Z. Perolina