P98 M worth of marijuana uprooted in La Union, Ilocos burned

CAMP GEN. OSCAR FLORENDO — Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, Ilocos police director, led the ceremonial burning here yesterday of P98 million worth of fully grown marijuana plants and seedlings uprooted in 13 various sites in La Union and Ilocos Sur.

The marijuana plants were uprooted in four operations initiated by operatives of Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group I (RAIDSOTG 1), Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID), Regional Mobile Group 1, Provincial Mobile Group of La Union and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) from February 2005 to November 2006.

In the operation conducted from Nov. 8-10 alone, the team uprooted 20,000 fully grown marijuana plants, with an estimated value of P4 million, planted in an almost one-hectare lot in between ricefields in Sitio Kalipayan, Barangay Badeo, Kibungan, Benguet and Barangay Licungan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.

Last March 3 to 4, the operatives also uprooted 100,000 fully grown marijuana plants, worth at least P20 million, in Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.

Last year, the same set of operatives destroyed 370,000 fully grown marijuana plants with a street value of P74 million.

About170,000 marijuana plants, with an estimated value of P34 million, were also uprooted in a 1.2-hectare lot in sitios Inasan, Tubaday, Santol, La Union. Another 200,000 marijuana plants, worth at least P40 million were found in14,000-square-meter lot in Sitio Nakneng, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.

Bataoil said these successful operations were due to the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) intensified campaign against illegal drugs in the region.

He stressed that the operatives will conduct a more aggressive surveillance in mountainous areas. — With Jun Elias