CAR cops torch P220-M marijuana plants in Ifugao

La Trinidad, Benguet — Marijuana plants valued at P220 million were set on fire last Saturday, capping a week-long eradication drive in Ifugao, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) police said.

Chief Superintendent Noe Wong, Cordillera police director, personally led operatives of the regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and Ifugao police in swooping down on a large marijuana farm in Sitio Mulam, Barangay Ahin in Tinoc, Ifugao.

Seized during the raid were 1.085-million fully grown marijuana plants and 316,600 marijuana seedlings which were subsequently torched.

The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) estimated the destroyed marijuana plants to be worth about P220.65 million based on their street value.

Superintendent Joseph Adnol, spokesman of the Cordillera police, who also joined the raid, said the 11.5-hectare marijuana plantation was discovered after a week-long search.

The seized marijuana plants and seedlings were torched in the presence of Tinoc councilor Paul Patna-an, and barangay chairman Eleuterio Cabinta and councilman Rita Locoy.

Cordillera policemen have heightened their eradication efforts since marijuana harvests peak as summer ends.

As part of the campaign, checkpoints have been put up to prevent the transport of marijuana to the lowlands, Adnol said.

The Cordilleras remains to be the biggest producer of marijuana in the country, accounting for about 85 percent of the supply, according to anti-narcotics authorities.

Last May 15, Benguet policemen also seized about P10.7 million worth of marijuana plants in Kibungan town.

Senior Superintendent Villamor Bumanglag, Benguet police director, said the marijuana plants were seized by elements of the Kapangan and Kibungan police and the 1,603rd Provincial Police Mobile Group in Sitio Baukok, Barangay Badeo in Kibungan town.

The raiding team also confiscated 300 kilos of dried marijuana leaves and 500 grams of dried marijuana seeds which the DDB valued at P7.5 million and P12,000, respectively.

In another raid, Bumanglag said his men uprooted some 16,000 fully grown marijuana plants valued at about P3.2 million in a four-hectare plantation.

The marijuana plants were burned on the site. No suspects were arrested, however.

During the first quarter of this year alone, Cordillera policemen have reportedly destroyed over P300 million worth of marijuana plants in Benguet, Ifugao and Kalinga.