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Monday, July 11, 2005
7 years after arrest warrant, marijuana farmer gets caught
A SELF-CONFESSED marijuana cultivator was arrested seven years after a warrant for his arrest was issued.
A team from the Balamban Police Station arrested Florencio Gabunada, 33, in Sitio Koros-koros, Barangay Gaas at 4 p.m. Friday.
They also uprooted 3,489 marijuana plants and a sack of dried marijuana leaves in a follow-up operation.
Balamban police assistant investigator PO2 Cesar Climaco said they received information that Gabunada frequented the sitio’s market day every Friday.
Climaco said the bust was part of their continuing campaign against illegal drugs.
After learning about Gabunada’s frequent appearances at the market, they checked the records of the police station and found that they had a warrant against Gabunada for violation of the old anti-drugs law.
The warrant had been issued by former Toledo City Regional Trial Court Judge Ferdinand Marcos in 1998.
Climaco said this was an alias warrant and was still valid.
No bail had been recommended.
Climaco said they filed the case against Gabunada for cultivating marijuana at large and pointed out that an arrest warrant had been issued against him.
They had failed to arrest Gabunada until last Friday.
Gabunada did not resist when the operatives surrounded him and even guided them to his hidden plantation about six kilometers from where he was arrested.
Climaco, who joined the team, said it was impossible to spot the marijuana plants, which were planted alongside shrubs and trees.
The area was also foggy.
The plantation is in a mountain slope 15 kilometers away from Balamban proper.
Gabunada’s marijuana plants were already six feet tall.
Aside from seven policemen led by SPO4 Marcial Montebon, they also got help from civilian volunteers and Barangay Gaas’ tanods. MEA
(July 11, 2005 issue)
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