CAR cops nab 12 drug offenders, torch over P115M marijuana
TWELVE suspected drug personalities were arrested while over P115 million worth of fully-grown marijuana plants and seedlings were uprooted and destroyed by agents of the Cordillera Police Regional Office last July 24 to 30, the Journal Group learned on Saturday.
In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., Cordillera police director, Brigadier Gen. Ronald O. Lee said the Baguio City Police Offfice arrested 10 of the suspects while the Abra and Benguet Police Provincial Office each made a single arrest.
The official identified the suspects arrested in Baguio City as David Bitao, 49; Jefferson Abor, 44; Marco Muleta, 29; Gerry Vic Bautista, 47; Albert Espiritu, 39; Johnson Segundo, 32; Edgar Zuñiga, 34; Darwin Dariano, 48; Jose Casauay, 42; and a 16-year-old male minor.
In Abra and Benguet, the arrested personalities were identified as Clarence Bona, 28 and Modesto Licudan, 59, he said.
Brig. Gen. Lee said confiscated from the 12 suspects were a total of 18.32 grams of shabu worth nearly P125,000.
All the suspects are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Brig. Gen. Lee said burned were some 573,000 fully-grown cannabis plants and seedlings worth P114.6 million in different parts of Kalinga. A similar operation in Benguet led the uprooting of an estimated P600,000 worth of marijuana crops which were all torched on site.
The operations were conducted by the Cordillera police with the support of the of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group headed by Brig. Gen. Randy Q. Peralta.
