BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - Benguet-produced marijuana plants valued at about half a million pesos was intercepted Tuesday morning en route to its lowland market.
Eleven carefully bundled high quality dried marijuana were being transported by 31-year-old Moises Cortez from Sitio Lib-libo, Kayapa in Bakun town in Benguet aboard a public utility van when anti-narcotics agents and policemen cornered him with the contraband along the national highway at Barangay Mameltac, Diversion Road, San Fernando City, La Union.
Bismark Bengwayan, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Region 1 said as anti-narcotics agents approached Cortez on the streets to conduct the deal, he tried to flee leaving the marijuana haul.
He was however caught and is now facing charges and may face lifetime imprisonment with a fine of P500,000 to P10 million pesos if found guilty under Section 5 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Cortez denied all accusations and said he was only ordered to deliver the illegal drugs in exchange for a decent amount of money.
“The mere fact that he knew the contraband he was carrying and the money involved makes him responsible†PDEA-Region 1 Regional Director Adrian G. Alvarino said.