PDEA-7 men arrest marijuana grower

Authorities have arrested a man they caught tending marijuana plants on an area at the mountain barangay of Gaas in Balamban yesterday dawn.

Members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency caught 46-year-old Eutorlito Cinco, a resident of the place, watering the marijuana seedlings that he allegedly planted on a lot, a good 2-kilometer walking distance from the main road of the barangay.

Jessie Tabanao, acting spokesperson of PDEA-7, said they arrived at the place, which is covered by trees but a vantage point where approaching people could easily be seen.

There were three other men, believed to be marijuana planters also, who were with Cinco at the time but managed to escape upon seeing the PDEA-7 agents going to the area, said Tabanao.

Cinco’s house is located a few meters away from where the marijuana plants were being grown, he said adding that the planted area could not be easily seen overhead by helicopters or by people at ground level.

PDEA-7 received information from an informant about the marijuana-planted lot and it immediately hatched a plan to catch the people who were reportedly seen watering the plants every morning.

At least 104 fully-grown stalks and 250 seedlings of the prohibited plants were uprooted and brought to the PDEA office, as a result of yesterday’s raid, with the help of the Special Reaction Unit sent by Provincial Police director Carmelo Valmoria.

The three who managed to escape were later identified as Antonio Salvacion, Jemar Cinco, and Ronald Cinco—all residents of the area.  — Edwin Ian Melecio/RAE