Cops seize P93T marijuana; arrest female suspect

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – A buy-bust operation early morning of Monday at sitio Canday-ong in Barangay Calindagan, this city, has resulted in the confiscation of nearly two kilos of dried marijuana leaves with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P93,000.

Operatives from the Provincial Intelligence Branch-Special Operations Group of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office, headed by Senior Inspector Jul Mohammad Jamiri and supervised by Sr. Superintendent Mariano Natu-el Jr,, swooped down at the house of 38-year-old Maria Mirasol Merced Ragay, a single parent of four.

Besides the backpack containing 1.7 kilos of dried marijuana leaves, also seized from Ragay’s possession were eight match boxes containing marijuana leaves, seeds and stalks, cash proceeds of P2,615, 40 empty match boxes and the P100 marked money used in the buy-bust.

Ragay told The Freeman the items were delivered to her last night from a certain Aljun and that the marijuana dried leaves were transported from Badian town in Cebu to Dumaguete.Without the presence of her lawyer, she admitted selling marijuana due to poverty.

Relatives of Ragay however questioned their Barangay Councilman Roxanne Pahayahay for signing the inventory of the seized items, arguing that there was no warrant presented by the operatives during the raid.

Pahayahay explained she was only doing her duties as a barangay official, reiterating a provision in law that a buy-bust operation does not need a warrant to be carried out.

SOG-NOrPPO deputy chief, Senior Police Officer 3 Allen June Germodo, said  Ragay will be charged with violations of Section 5 for selling and Section 11 for possession of almost two kilos of marijuana. Both are non-bailable offenses.