OPERATIVES of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) destroyed marijuana plants worth P21.9 million in Tinglayan, Kalinga.
The marijuana eradication operations took place from June 14 to 16 in the barangays of Buscalan, Loccong and Butbut Proper, according to information that reached the office of PNP Chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar.
In Barangay Buscalan, a total of 5,000 fully-grown marijuana plants worth P1 million, in a 500-square meter plot of land were discovered and destroyed.
Meanwhile, four plantation sites were also discovered in Barangay Loccong, with a total land area of 4,000 square meters, which had approximately 34,000 marijuana plants worth P6.8 million.
On the other hand, a total of 57,000 fully grown marijuana plants and 65,000 seedlings worth P14.1 million were found in Barangay Butbut Proper. The plantation had a land area of 6,650 square meters.
A total of 96,500 fully-grown marijuana plants and 65,000 seedlings were found and destroyed by the PNP and the PDEA in the joint operations although no one was arrested.
PGen. Eleazar lauded the operating teams for the successful marijuana eradication operations in the region.
“I commend the Kalinga PNP and those other units as well as the PDEA agents involved in these operations. Tuloy-tuloy lamang po ang aming operasyon para tuluyan nang masawata ang isa sa pinagmumulan ng supply ng marijuana sa ating bansa,” PGen. Eleazar said.
“Hindi lamang po mga plantasyon ng marijuana ang aming hinahanap. Lahat po ng pinagmumulan ng iligal na droga sa bansa at ang mga nasa likod nito ay aming tutugisin,” he assured.
The PNP chief also encouraged the public to report to authorities if they have information about the location of marijuana plantations and the persons responsible for them.
Early this week, a total of P25.8 million worth of marijuana plants were also destroyed in a two-day operation in Tinglayan.
“There will be stepped-up marijuana eradication operations in the hinterlands, particularly in the Cordillera region. Let me point out that Cannabis in the form of plants, products and its derivatives remain to be classified as dangerous drugs as defined under Republic Act No. 9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” the Chief PNP said.
“This despite a recent action by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UN-CND) to remove Cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs,” he said.
(PHOTO CREDIT: PNP-PIO)