TINGLAYAN,Kalinga – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera has maintained its no let-up drive against drugs when they were able to uproot P2.2 billion worth of marijuana around Mt. Chumanchill.
PDEA Regional Director Juvenal Azurin said a total of 15 hectares of marijuana plantation were wiped out in five days of their operation that started on August 5.
Azurin said his men were also able to discover another 60 to 80 hectares of marijuana plantation in the nearby mountain of Pasil and Lubuagan town.
“Andon pa mga operatiba sa ngayon sa kabila ng pag-uulan, gusto nilang ubusin ang mga plantasyon don, bumababa lamang yong iba para kumuha ng pagkain,kaya baka abutin pa ng isang lingo ang operasyon” Azurin said.
Last Sunday, an aerial inspection led Chief Superintendent Elmo Sarona. regional director of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PROCOR), using two Philippine Air Force (PAF) choppers saw the vast plantation of fully grown marijuana plants are uprooted by police operatives at Mount Chumanchill.
Sarona said “the size of the marijuana plants, which looks even bigger than a fully grown corn plant that is visible from the air is surprising.
Officials said the quality of marijuana from Kalinga is more potent than those from Benguet.
“Ang marijuana dito sa Kalinga ang ginagawang “hashish”, dahil magandang klase, na kalimitan ay dinadala sa ibang bansa” said Azurin. (Zaldy Comanda)