Pubdate: Sun, 30 Jan 2005
Source: Daily Tribune, The (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 The Tribune Publishing Co., Inc.
Contact:  http://www.tribune.net.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2973
Author: Jun P. Yap and Benz A. Selmo Jr.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

AUTHORITIES BURN P60M WORTH OF MARIJUANA PLANTS IN BENGUET

Government operatives yesterday destroyed 10-hectare marijuana
plantation estimated to be worth around P60 million in the province of
Benguet during a joint operation.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Anti-Drug Task Force commander
Ruel Lasala said the joint assault conducted by operatives from his
office, the Philippine Army (PA) 502nd Brigade, Philippine Air Force
(PAF), Police Regional Office-Cordillera, Intelligence Service of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines and NBI-CAR resulted in the uprooting
of some 300,000 "fully-grown" marijuana plants.

Lasala disclosed the operation was conducted yesterday morning at the
10-hectare plantation located in the cliff along the boundaries of
Kibungan and Bakun in Benguet.

He said the uprooted marijuana plants were burned by the raiding team
after the operation.

It was gathered that a concerned citizen tipped authorities on the
existence of the marijuana plantation.

Lasala also revealed the NBI, together with the members of the other
law enforcement agencies immediately conducted a surveillance
operation, which eventually confirmed the information.

He said authorities are still in pursuit of the plantation hands who
were able to escape after getting wind of the arrival of the raiding
team.

Lasala added the successful dismantling of the marijuana plantation
was in line with the government's effort to stop the proliferation of
illegal drugs in the country.

He also said authorities are also conducting follow-up operation on
the raided plantation to determine who is directly responsible for the
planting of around 300,000 marijuana plants in a single location.

"With that large amount of marijuana plants, someone has definitely
financed it. This is the object of our follow-up operation, to
determine who is really behind this," Lasala said.

In Isabela, police confiscated 60 kilos of high-grade marijuana, with
an estimated street value of P1.8 million, on board a Manila-bound bus
from Tabuk, Kalinga province.

Supt. Reynaldo Sinaon, city police director said they have been
receiving reports from their assets that a group of marijuana dealers
are using Manila-bound buses to transport their products unnoticed.

"We have asset reports that marijuana dealers from Tabuk, Kalinga are
paying the freight services of Manila-bound buses which is easier than
transporting the goods themselves," Sinaon said.

He said they had received tips as early as December last year but they
could not trace what bus lines where being used by the dealers.

"They will pay the freight from the passing bus and their contact in
Manila would just pick-up the goods in the bus terminal there," Sinaon
said.

According to Marcelo Callejo, conductor-driver of Victory Liner Bus
with Body No. 730, where the marijuana was confiscated, they were
asked by several men to have their package brought to Manila to be
picked up by a certain Double Dauangan in their terminal in Kamias,
Quezon City.

"I didn't know the parcel contained marijuana, I just charged them
P120 for the ticket fare. The man gave me P500 saying I should just
give the change to the one who's going to pick-up the parcel, a
certain Double Dauangan," Callejo said.

Police investigators were interrogating the other conductor-driver of
Victory Liner Bus, Cornelio Lamire, when newsmen interviewed Sinaon
and the other conductor-driver.

Sinaon immediately called up their counterparts in Manila to man the
Victory Liner Bus Terminal in Kamias to apprehend Double Dauangan who
would pick-up the goods there.

"I already asked our counterparts in Quezon City to post in the
terminal, we will again load the two boxes without the marijuana in
the Victory Liner Bus for us to arrest Double Dauangan, because he
will be our main source of the transported goods," Sinaon said.

Meanwhile, Sinaon's group was also responsible were the confiscation
of 101 kilos of marijuana, which also came from Kalinga province last
year, with an estimated street value of more than P3 million and the
neutralization of several big-time shabu pushers in Santiago City.
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