Pubdate: Thu, 03 Mar 2005
Source: Mindanao Times (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Mindanao Times.
Contact:  http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2980
Author: Florante Solmerin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines

CAGAYAN VALLEY COPS ON ALERT VS. MARIJUANA

CAMP ADDURU, Cagayan: Chief Supt. Alfredo de Vera, the Cagayan Valley 
regional police director, has directed the Cagayan police office to set up 
checkpoints at all strategic points in Cagayan and Kalinga to stop the 
transportation of marijuana in and out of the province.

De Vera's order to intensify police operations against illegal drugs was 
spawned by intelligence reports that the bulk of the supply of marijuana 
coming to Cagayan and other provinces in the region came from Kalinga 
province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

"Intelligence reports show that these marijuana came from the remote upland 
municipalities of Kalinga, where upland farmers have been cultivating in 
some clandestine areas. In the past few months, we've monitored the rampant 
transportation of these illegal drugs to Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya 
and other provinces outside the region," the police official said.

De Vera cited a report that about P270 million worth of marijuana plants 
were seized in two separate raids on Wednesday and Thursday by operatives 
from the Kalinga police in Barangay Lukong, Tinglayan town.

"Police operatives also uprooted about 5,000 marijuana plants in the same 
place where suspected farmers have shifted to planting marijuana plants for 
fast money. The immediate market places of these illegal drugs are the 
nearby provinces here in Cagayan Valley. That's why we have to be vigilant 
in curbing the proliferation of this prohibited drugs," he said.

In December last year, cartons of dried marijuana leaves worth P60 million 
were seized by police operatives from a bus station in Santiago City in 
Isabela.

Supt. Reynaldo Sinaon, the Santiago City police chief, reported that two 
Kalinga residents, who were couriers of the illegal drugs, were arrested 
during the operation.

Meanwhile, de Vera said the towns where police checkpoints have been 
reinforced were Tuao, Enrile, Solana and Piat, all in Cagayan; and Quezon 
and Mallig in Isabela.

"These areas are the entry and exit points of Kalinga province to Cagayan 
Valley," he said.
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