P27M in marijuana destroyed in week-long operations in Cordillera

Authorities destroyed around P25.7 million in marijuana plants in a series of anti-narcotics operations in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) last week, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

In a statement on Sunday, the PNP said its police units conducted 22 eradication operations from April 13 to 19 in cultivation sites in Benguet, Mountain Province, and Kalinga.

Police uprooted a total of 94,918 fully grown marijuana plants and seized 56.6 kilos of dried marijuana.

In Benguet alone, authorities carried out 17 operations, during which they destroyed 14,418 marijuana plants and confiscated dried marijuana worth P9.68 million.

An operation in Mountain Province yielded 60,000 plants worth P12 million, while four operations in Kalinga led to the eradication of 20,500 plants valued at P4.1 million.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the eradication operations are part of their sustained efforts to cut the supply of illegal drugs at its source.

“Hindi lang po ito simpleng pagbubunot ng halaman. Ito ay pagprotekta sa ating mga komunidad laban sa ilegal na droga. Tuloy-tuloy ang ating aksyon – walang ligtas sa batas,” he said.

(This is not just about uprooting marijuana plants. This is protecting our communities against illegal drugs. Our actions will continue – no one is above the law.)

“We are targeting production areas to stop the spread of illegal drugs before they reach our streets. This is a proactive and sustained approach,” he added.

The PNP chief also urged the public to be vigilant and to cooperate with authorities by reporting suspicious activities in their communities.

He stressed that the public support’s is crucial in sustaining the gains of the police force’s anti-illegal drug operations. — JMA, GMA News