As part of the continuing campaign of PROCOR against illegal drugs, three drug personalities are now facing charges for violating RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 after they were arrested in a series of buy-bust operations conducted in Baguio City and Kalinga while Php 412,000.00 worth of marijuana was destroyed in Benguet on June 23, 2022.
According to the reports submitted to PROCOR Regional Director, PBGEN RONALD OLIVER LEE, the arrested drug personalities were identified as Marvin Pascual, 31; Walter Castillon, 37; and Rolando Lopez, 46.
In Baguio City, Suspect Marvin was arrested at Brgy. Gabriela Silang by the operatives of BCPO Naguilian Road Police Station (PS1) after he sold one plastic sachet of suspected shabu weighing more or less 0.2 grams with a standard drug price (SDP) of Php 1,360.00 while another sachet of suspected shabu weighing more or less 0.2 grams with an SDP of Php 1,360.00 was confiscated from his possession.
In another buy-bust operation at Brgy. Kayang Hill-Top, suspect Rolando was arrested by the operatives of BCPO Kennon Road Police Station (PS8) after he sold one plastic sachet of suspected shabu weighing more or less 0.5 grams with an SDP of Php 3,400.00.
Meanwhile, in Tabuk City, Kalinga, suspect Walter was arrested by the operatives of the Kalinga Police Provincial Office after he sold one plastic sachet containing suspected shabu weighing more or less 0.2 grams with an SDP of Php 1,360.00 while another sachet of suspected shabu weighing more or less 0.6 grams with an SDP of Php 4,080.00 was confiscated from his possession.
Markings and inventories of the pieces of evidence recovered were done on-site in the presence of the arrested suspects and witnessed by the representatives from the Department of Justice (DOJ), media, and elected barangay officials.
The suspects and confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to the custody of the respective operating units for documentation and proper disposition.
Meanwhile, the continuous patrolling of the 1st Benguet Provincial Mobile Force Company in the mountains of Brgy. Kayapa, Bakun, Benguet has yielded another 2,000 pieces of fully-grown marijuana plants with an SDP of Php 400,000.00 and 300 pieces of marijuana seedlings with an SDP of Php 12,000.00.
All marijuana plants were uprooted and destroyed on-site. No cultivator was apprehended during the said operations, while an investigation is ongoing to identify the possible cultivators.