Man with marijuana garden arrested

CEBU, Philippines- A 36-year old man, who claims to have been instructed by God to plant marijuana in his front yard, was arrested by the police yesterday afternoon at Sitio Cogon, Barangay Labangon, Cebu City. 

Elements of Cebu City Public Safety Company (CCPSC) and of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (CAIDSOTG) uprooted at least 50 live marijuana plants in the yard of Cicilio Cariñosa.

Rasan Dayopay, 31, who was also in the area in possession of marijuana leaves, was also arrested by the operatives.

In an interview with Superintendent Melbert Esguerra, CCPSC chief, said that they received a report stating that Cariñosa was making a garden full of marijuana leaves in Sitio Cogon.

He added that after receiving the said information, he immediately sent some of his personnel to investigate and conduct surveillance.

During the surveillance, the police saw live marijuana in the garden. The cops immediately sent their report to Esguerra.

Esguerra coordinated with CAIDSOTG to conduct an operation against Cariñosa.

Past 2 p.m. yesterday, operatives from CCPSC and CAIDSOTG raided the garden and caught Cariñosa inside his makeshift house.

After the arrest, the police uprooted all the marijuana plants and brought Cariñosa, as well as Dayopay, to the Cebu City Police Office headquarters.

Cariñosa admitted that he planted marijuana in his front yard. He claims that he was asked by God to plant them for medicinal purposes only to help cure his neighbors’ illnesses.

When he was arrested, Cariñosa pointed to a bottle of water and asked the police if he could drink it.

But when the police got the bottle, they found out that the water also had marijuana leaves in it.

Cariñosa told the police that while reading the bible, he heard a voice that instructed him to plant marijuana because if not, no one would be able to help his neighbors.

Cariñosa added that he will face the consequences and believes that he is innocent, adding that nowhere in the bible mentions planting marijuana is bad.

Meanwhile, at least P120,000 worth of suspected shabu was confiscated while three men were arrested by the police in a buy-bust operation at Sitio San Roque, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City Saturday afternoon.

The subject of the operation, Roy Yaun, 23, was apprehended by the operatives of the Cebu City Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group after he handed over to the police poseur buyer one small pack of shabu in exchange for P200.

Zaldy Overez, 42, of Sitio Sun-ok, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City and Jeffrey Villanueva, 33, of Nivel Hills, Barangay Busay, Cebu City were also detained at the Cebu City Police Office detention cell after both yielded a small pack of suspected shabu.

Senior Inspector Eunil Avergonzado, chief of the CAIDSOTG, said they placed Yaun under surveillance for a month after Senior Superintendent Marciano Batiancela Jr., the acting chief of the CCPO, received complaints through text from concerned citizens against Yaun.

Avergonzado said the transaction happened right outside of Yaun’s house. When he handed over the pack of suspected shabu, the operatives immediately swooped into the area and arrested Yaun.

Avergonzado said beside the house, they saw a multicab covered with cardboards and was allegedly used as the spot where Yaun’s customers could sniff shabu. Avergonzado said Overez and Villanueva were both inside the multicab.

“It’s either padung pa to suyop or nagsuyop na to sila unya sobra na to ang naa sa ilang bulsa,” said Avergonzado.

All in all, the police seized two medium and nine small packs of suspected shabu weighing at least 12 grams with a total estimate amount of P120,000.

Avergonzado said Yaun is a level two drug pusher who can allegedly dispose at least 300 grams of illegal drugs every week.

Yaun, Overez and Villanueva, will be facing charges for possession of illegal drugs. Another case for illegal drug trading will be filed against Yaun.  (FREEMAN)