Liechtenstein national nabbed for marijuana

CEBU, Philippines - Police arrested a foreigner who yielded at least P200,000 worth of marijuana Friday morning at the port in Maya, Daanbantayan.

Arrested was Wille Marco, 48, a citizen of Liechtenstein, a microstate in Western Europe, and a resort owner in Malapascua Island.

Prior to Marco’s arrest, Senior Inspector Roger Quijano, chief of Daanbantayan Police Station said he received a report about the suspect allegedly transporting marijuana.

Quijano added that the information he received was “very reliable,” prompting him to verify it with his men.

According to the report, the suspect was riding a passenger bus enroute to Daanbantayan where he would then ride on a boat to Malapascua Island.

Quijano assembled a team of four police officers including him and waited at Maya wharf for the bus to arrive.

When the bus arrived and Marco alighted, they approached the foreigner.

They told him that they were verifying a report, but the foreigner allegedly tried to run and threw away something to the ground.

“Pag-inform nga police officers nag-verify mi, puwede ba maka-submit ka sa imong kaugalingon, gilabay niya ang iyang gidala sa iyang tungod,” Quijano said.

The suspect was eventually collared and the plastic bag he threw away was found out to have contained marijuana dried leaves.

The suspect resisted arrest and still tried to run away but the police managed to restrain him.

“Diha sa iyang possession, daghang tawo gilabay niya ang item. Gilabay niya ang putos, nakita ang marijuana hasta ang hashes,” said Quijano.

Inside the plastic bag, police found at least five bars of marijuana hashes and 500 grams of dried marijuana leaves valued at P200,000 based on Dangerous Drugs Board estimates.

Quijano said Marco was brought to the police station and when asked if he knew that what he was doing is illegal, answered yes.

The police chief added that the suspect has been a drug dependent even before he came to the Philippines as consumption of marijuana is legal in his country.

Furthermore, Quijano said reports reached him that the suspect harasses locals in the island when he becomes drunk.

The suspect will be charged for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and for disobedience to an agent of a person in authority.  (FREEMAN)