Nine nabbed at CAR checkpoints for transporting marijuana

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Seven tourists were arrested on Sunday after authorities at a checkpoint in Banaue in Ifugao province found marijuana in their baggage.

Jerick Villacorte, a painter from Tondo, Manila, and Reniel Dela Cruz Espinosa and Daniel Urbano Gavino Tejada from Taguig City werr arrested at the checkpoint in Barangay Viewpoint in Banaue.

Also arrested by authorities were Titus Jacob Tallada from Sta. Mesa, Manila; Joshua Pagador Dacillo and Reynaldo Tinagan Jerez Jr. from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan; and a 17-year-old student from Fairview, Quezon City.

The suspects were on a CODA bus to Cubao, Quezon City from Sagada, Mountain Province when it was flagged down at the checkpoint.

Banaue police said on their Facebook page that the dried marijuana leaves recovered from the suspects weighed around 15 kilograms and was valued at around P1.8 million.

It is unclear how the police found the marijuana in the suspects' baggage.

Also on Sunday, two alleged drug carriers identified as Delfher Jay Navarrete Abancia and Zamier Galo of Malate, Manila were taken at a checkpoint in a Tabuk City in Kalinga.

Police reportedly flagged down a Manila-bound Victory Liner Bus coming from Tabuk City and found 15 bricks and as well as stalks of dried marijuana leaves, a pack of elongated rolls/tubular dried marijuana leaves and a plastic bag containing crushed and dried marijuana leaves and stalks. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao