CEBU, Philippines — Police uprooted Thursday morning an estimated P8 million worth of marijuana plants in Sitio Capyoan Barangay Sunog, Balamban, Cebu.
Three suspected cultivators were also arrested by the operatives of Balamban Police Station during the operation.
Police Maj. Christian Torres, Balamban police chief, identified the suspects as Leopoldo Bonghanoy, 64; Arnel Castro, 37; and Fernan Bonghanoy. All are residents of the same barangay.
Torres said they uprooted at least 22,000 stalks of marijuana plants from two plantations. He said they have been conducting surveillance operations in the area for a week until they caught up with the cultivators yesterday.
Torres said the suspects even tried to harvest their plants at dawn.
According to Torres, the uprooted illegal plants were immediately burned by them at the area.
The suspects allegedly admitted cultivating marijuana in the area. The police said the area is a forest land and the terrain is difficult to access.
The police are calling on the local government units to help them address the problem by providing alternative livelihood to the farmers to discourage them from doing the illegal activity. FPL (FREEMAN)