Marijuana worth P1.5 million uprooted in Balamban

CEBU, Philippines — More than P1.5 million worth of fully-grown marijuana plants were uprooted by operatives of the Balamban police and Cebu Police Provincial Office last Wednesday afternoon in an abandoned plantation in Barangay Bayong, Balamban, Cebu.

Senior Inspector Deni Mari Pedroso, Balamban police chief, said they received a report from a concerned citizen regarding a marijuana plantation in the area. They went there with Provincial Intelligence Branch and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit personnel and uprooted 3,824 marijuana plants estimated at a total of P1,529,600.

Police Officer 3 Emmanuel Blones of the Balamban police said there was no one around when they came to the planation which was in a mountainous around 30 kilometers from Balamban proper.

“Layo kaayo ang mga balay mao dili matino ang cultivator. Mudistansya og tag three kilometers ang mga panimalay sa usa’g-usa. Nagkahait ang mga cultivator og adto g’yud sila sa mga lagyo kaayo magtanom,” said Blones.

The plants were burned in the area while the operatives preserved several stalks as evidence. This is the fourth marijuana plantation eradicated by the operatives in Balamban since January.

Meanwhile, around P800,000 worth of illegal drugs were seized during different operations by Cebu City policemen early morning yesterday in barangays Lahug, Pasil, Mabolo, and Inayawan.

In Mabolo P177,00 worth of illegal drugs was also confiscated from Patricio Tubiano around 1:30 a.m. yesterday.

Around 2:30 a.m. Marlou Saberon, alias “Balot,” a resident of Sitio Top Hill, Barangay Lahug, was arrested in a buy-bust operation with drugs estimated at P156,468. Also arrested with him were Kyle Sasan, 18; Frayle Anton Unda, 25; Reed Vincent Simaringa, 25; Romeo Mondido, 35; and Dennis Saberon, 47, a cousin of Marlou.

Around the same time Rhett Kenneth Lopez Tabalin, 29, a resident of Barangay Inayawan, was also caught in possession of illegal drugs estimated at P243,437 in a buy-bust operation.

Around 6:45 a.m. yesterday Joewelo Dollete Abay from Sitio Mahayahay 1, Barangay Pasil, was also arrested for drugs.

Superintendent Christopher Navida, City Intelligence Branch chief, said the intensified police operations will be conducted every night in Cebu City to abolish all illegal activities around the area, not just illegal drugs. — Jeffrey Legara, USJ-R intern/BRP (FREEMAN)