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PDEA, Cebu cops destroy P10.5M MJ

July 30, 2021 Alfred P. Dalizon 235 views

A JOINT Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Police Regional Office 7 anti-narcotics operation in Asturias, Cebu on Monday led in the arrest of a marijuana cultivator and the uprooting and destruction of an estimated P10.5-million worth of fully-grown cannabis plants and seedlings, Philippine National Police chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said.

The top cop said the arrested suspect identified as Edwin Camaongay, 47, resident of Bgy. Langosig in Danao City, Cebu, will be facing non-bailable charges for violation of Section 16 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The offense which carries a penalty of life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P500,000 to P10 million will be imposed upon any person who will be found planting, cultivating or culturing marijuana, opium poppy or any other plant regardless of quantity.

According to Eleazar, members of the Cebu Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Asturias Municipal Police Station and PDEA Region 7 under Director General Wilkins M. Villanueva found the prohibited crops in Purok 1, Bgy. Kaluangan early morning Sunday.

Uprooted in the area were more than 10,000 pieces of fully-grown cannabis plants worth more than P4 million.

Another operation in Sitio Buyong in Bgy. Matab-ang in Toledo City in Cebu on the same day resulted in the destruction of nearly P6.4 million worth of marijuana plants. However, the suspected cultivator of the banned crops identified as Florencio Basilis, 40, is still being hunted as of press time.

“Manhunt operations are now being done by the police operatives to capture the said suspect. Bahagi ng ating Intensified Cleanliness Policy program ang mas pinaigting na kampanya sa pagaresto ng mga nagtatanim at nagbebenta ng naturang halaman,” Eleazar said.

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