4 men nabbed with 101 kilos of marijuana

SAN GABRIEL, La Union , Philippines  – Police operatives arrested four men in a checkpoint along Guerrero Avenue in Barangay Poblacion here at dawn Friday while on their way to deliver 101 kilos of dried marijuana to Baguio City.

Senior Inspector Eduardo Sarmiento, the town’s police chief, identified the suspects as Bonnie Santos, 34, of Bayabas, La Trinidad, Benguet; Lendel Camilo, 23; and Molitas Mariacos, 18; both of Lon-oy this town; and Francis Mocati, 22; of Bayugan, La Trinidad.

The suspects were on board a Toyota Hi-Ace van (WSA 591) where policemen recovered 48 bricks and 20 rolls of dried marijuana placed inside three sacks and boxes.

The illegal plant is worth P2.5 million based on assessment by personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

One of the suspects’ companions, a certain Jordan, managed to escape through a dark portion of the road before policemen could secure the group after they alighted from the van.  

Sarmiento told The STAR that they were tipped off late Thursday by a concerned citizen that the suspects are coming from the upland village of Lon-oy and were about to deliver marijuana to Benguet and Baguio City.

“We were conducting checkpoint when the subject of our information suddenly arrived and we flagged them down. With due courtesy, we asked the driver to open the vehicle’s compartment but they resisted. The driver of the van and his passengers were hesitant and they prevented us from inspecting the cargo where they reasoned out that it was a meat from native pigs that were butchered in a ritual (cañao) of Igorots in Lon-oy,” Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said he failed to convince the suspects to allow policemen to check on their cargo after about 30 minutes of negotiation.

Sensing something fishy, Sarmiento requested the presence of barangay officials and a mediaman based in the area to witness the inspection.

“As a precaution for us to be accused of doing unnecessary in our duties and to convince the suspects from opening the van, I requested barangay officials and a mediaman here to witness our inspection,” he said.

Senior Superintendent Noli Taliño, La Union police director, told The STAR that the confiscation of the marijuana is the biggest haul this year with regard to finish product of the illegal plant.

Taliño said the suspects will be charged for violations of RA 9165 or the Dangerous Drug Act and they will not be allowed to post bail because the case that will be filed against them is non-bailable.  

For his part, Ilocos police director Chief Superintendent Constante Azares Jr. said the road in San Gabriel is the most convenient way to transport marijuana from the boundaries of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Benguet.