P15-M marijuana uprooted in Bukidnon farm

Authorities uprooted some P15 million worth of marijuana in a plantation located in a secluded area of Talakag town in Bukidnon province. Sun-Star Cagayan de Oro (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Saturday that authorities also arrested a 51-year-old farmer during the raid on the plantation. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional director Rolando Bade identified the 51-year-old suspect as Ernesto Jimenez, a native of Sitio Tigason in Dominorog village. Bade said Jimenez was arrested while cultivating the marijuana plantation. Jimenez claimed he started planting marijuana just last December. The arrest was a joint operation conducted by PDEA personnel, Police Regional Office, Talakag police, Provincial Regional Mobile Group-Northern Mindanao, Bukidnon police mobile group, and Bukidnon Special Operation Group. Bade said the operation stemmed from information volunteered by a local resident who told them about the presence of the plantation in the area. Jimenez said he planted the marijuana along with corn within an almost one-hectare farm lot. “This is just to buy rice sir, while there is still no harvest of corn. It’s small until now I am still poor," Jimenez explained. But he also said there were buyers who visited the area to buy from him bundles of the illegal plants. Some of his customers, he said, were Chinese. Bade said his office is still monitoring the area in Bukidnon after receiving reports that there are individuals who are also on the same trade. He added that he is determining whether Jimenez has the backing of big-time drug syndicates operating in Northern Mindanao. Bade said the big haul of marijuana so far for this year alone might have been linked to some unscrupulous people who are into the illegal activity. Also, he said it is possible that the same uprooted illegal plants might be intended for transport to another port area in the country. Bade said marijuana is still one of the favorites among the youth, especially students, even with the proliferation of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu. He said one marijuana plant costs P300, while a stick of the dried plant sells for P5.GMANews.TV