Pubdate: Thu, 24 Feb 2005
Source: Manila Bulletin (The Philippines)
Contact:  http://www.mb.com.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/906
Author: Magtanggol Vilar
Cited: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency http://www.pdea.gov.ph
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

MARIJUANA CONNECTION EYED

CABANATUAN CITY - Anti-narcotics operatives here are hunting what they
believe is the Banawe-Ifugao connection in the proliferation of marijuana
in this city and Nueva Ecija.

Dennis Asto y Dispugado, 56, of purok Acacia, barangay Pangatian, this
city, was arrested in a "buy-bust" operation the other day for possession
of 26 sachets of fruiting tops and dried marijuana leaves with a weight of
2.68 grams.

Asto was arrested by a team of PDEA agents composed of SPO2 Ceferino
Palencia, SPO2 Francisco Cabiao, PO3 Amando Belgica and PO2 Antonio
Barreras. Senior Inspector Cresencio de Asis, chief of the Nueva Ecija
police provincial crime laboratory office, who conducted laboratory test on
the questioned weeds, confirmed that these were marijuana, a banned substance.

The police drug-enforcement agency unit here under Capt. Rogelio de Vera
said the suspect had given information that the marijuana seized from him
came from the rice terraces in Benguet.
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