Woman caused hubby's arrest

CEBU, Philippines - A woman who was supposed to report a mauling incident became instrumental to her husband’s arrest for alleged involvement in the marijuana trade.

The woman, Jenny Tapia, 33, a resident of Barangay Gaas, Balamban town went to Barangay Captain William Genil last Wednesday night to report a mauling incident. During their conversation, however, Tapia accidentally slipped into saying that her husband, Rolando, was heading to Cebu City with a sack of marijuana.

To verify the information, Genil sent barangay officials to ask help from the Cebu Provincial Public Safety Company (CPPSC) in checking on Rolando who was at the Barangay Gaas Public Market at that time.

At the market, the team led by SPO4 Allan Patalinhug approached Rolando but before they could inspect the sack he was carrying, Rolando was quick to say that he did not own the sack and he was only being made to carry it. He tried to flee but was arrested.

The sack was found to be filled wit dried marijuana leaves amounting to 1.3 kilos.

Rolando is currently under the custody of the Balamban Police and has been charged for violating Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

Meanwhile, still in Balamban town, local policemen assisted by barangay officials and tanods uprooted 49 stalks of marijuana plants and recovered 549 seedlings of marijuana from a plantation in Barangay Sunog last Thursday afternoon.

Authorities went to the area after getting a tip by a concerned resident.

The Balamban police believe that the stalks were not wild but were planted intentionally.

“Siguro gitanum jud ni, kay ang gitamnan kay gilipmpyuhan naman (It is very possible that the stalks were planted on purpose because the area was cleaned),” said PO1 Landy Divinagracia of the Balamban Police.

Divinagracia said the area is still under investigation as no cultivator was arrested during the operation.

The operation Thursday was part of the saturation drive against Marijuana plantations to intensify the campaign against Marijuana proliferation. — (FREEMAN)