P1M worth of pot seized

CEBU, Philippines - An estimated P1 million worth of marijuana plants were seized from a marijuana plantation in the mountain barangay of Patong, Badian town, last Friday evening during a joint operation of the three law- enforcement agencies.

The marijuana eradication was conducted by the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 and the personnel of the Philippine Air Force 2nd Air Division.

Operatives only took back 350 marijuana plants as evidence while some 3,000 fully grown plants and 12,000 seedlings were burned after the operation.

Arrested during the operation was barangay tanod Lucrisio Oplima after he delayed law enforcers long enough to let his son Benjamin Oplima escape as the operation was being carried out.

PDEA personnel said that when the teams were heading to the plantation site Lucrisio approached them and introduced himself as a barangay tanod of the locality and offered them coffee, which they declined.

Moments later, one of the operatives saw Benjamin dash uphill upon noticing their presence. Lucrisio tried to run towards the house of his son but he was arrested.

Lucrisio confessed that the plantation was owned by his son who had been cultivating it for several months already.

Operatives saw the 3,000 fully grown marijuana plants near the house of Benjamin and found another the 12,000 seedlings in the adjacent hill.

Due to the lack of operatives to take the entire haul back, the teams decided to burn the remaining evidence at the site.

Benjamin has been under surveillance for some time now after informants told the PDEA about his operation. The PAF had also been monitoring him.

Lucrisio, who is now detained at the PDEA stockade, will face charges for obstruction of justice while Benjamin will be charged for violation of Section 16 of Republic Act 9165 or Cultivation or Culture of Plants Classified as Dangerous Drugs. — (FREEMAN)