P28-M worth of marijuana plants discovered in Kalinga

A total of P28 million worth of marijuana plants were destroyed last Friday by police in Kalinga.

The plants were torched in Barangay Loccong in the municipality of Tinglayan by elements of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Tinglayan Municipal Police Station, Kalinga Provincial Police Office, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Kalinga, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

The confiscated and destroyed marijuana included 110,000 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants estimated to be worth P22 million, and 50,000 grams of marijuana stalks said to be worth P6 million.

No one was arrested during the operation but unidentified persons shot at police. No one was hurt during the incident. Investigation is ongoing to determine the identities of the owner of the plantation and the suspects who fired at them, police said.

The PNP said the plantation was in a 5,500-square meter land in Barangay Loccong.

PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said marijuana eradications would continue as the organization intensifies its campaign against illegal drugs.

“Makakaasa ang publiko na patuloy ang operasyon ng pulisya, katuwang ang PDEA, sa pagsabat at pagsira ng mga taniman ng marijuana. Hindi lamang sa Cordillera Administrative Region ang aming pokus, pati ibang lugar ay ating binabantayan para mapatigil ang produksyon at bentahan ng marijuana,” he said.

(The PNP assures the public of its continued operations, together with PDEA, in the eradication of marijuana plantations. We will not just focus on the Cordillera Administrative Region. We will also monitor other areas to put a stop to the production and sale of marijuana.) —KG, GMA News