CEBU CITY – Marijuana plants worth P4.4 million were uprooted in Toledo City and Balamban town, Cebu.
Leia Albiar-Alcantara, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Central Visayas (PDEA 7), said they discovered the marijuana plantations last Wednesday upon the tip of a concerned citizen.
Personnel of the Naval Forces Central of the Philippine Navy and operatives of the Toledo and Balamban police stations joined PDEA 7 in the operation.
Albiar said the PDEA 7 was tipped off that the plantation was located in Barangay Tungkay, Toledo.
When they arrived in the area, PDEA 7 agents discovered that the marijuana plantation was too big that it reached Barangay Gaas, Balamban.
Albiar added that 11,000 fully-grown marijuana plants were uprooted and burned on-site.
Three men suspected to be the cultivators of the plantation eluded arrest. They were identified as Alejandro Cabaña, Norwel Cabaña and Teofilo Nodelic, all residents of Barangay Tungkay, Toledo.
Charges will be filed against the three suspected cultivators, Albiar said.
A .45 caliber pistol was also found abandoned in the plantation. (Calvin Cordova)
