Balamban police uproot 12,500 marijuana stalks

CEBU, Philippines – Police have uprooted thousands of fully grown marijuana plants yesterday dawn in two areas in the mountain barangay of Bayong in Balamban town.

Members of the Balamban Police Station, led by Sr. Insp. Januario Sario, uprooted some 12,500 marijuana plants in sitios Taro and Ambakon in Bayong. No one, however, was arrested during the operation.

Senior Supt. Erson Digal, director of Cebu Provincial Police Office, said the uprooted illegal plants have a street value of P2 million.

Digal said the marijuana plants, which will be taken to the PNP provincial headquarters, will be burned this week together with the other 15,000 stalks that were uprooted last July 14 in the same town.

The 15,000 stalks, which are estimated to cost P3 million, were uprooted in a joint operation conducted by Balamban police and operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7.

Digal said the burning of the plants will be done simultaneously with the destruction of the video karera machines confiscated in Talisay City, Consolacion, Medellin and Toledo City.

The event will be led by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez, director of Police Regional Office-7.

Digal had ordered his men to intensify their campaign against illegal activities. (THE FREEMAN)