|
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Mayor says opium garden discovery an isolated case
By Jane Cadalig
BAGUIO CITY -- Atok Mayor Concepcion Balao cleared her town's name from a recent bad publicity brought about by the discovery of opium poppy plants grown in a garden.
"It is an isolated case and the owner had no bad intention in growing the plants," Balao said of the opium poppy plants that were found grown in an area traversed by a national highway.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage
Last week, personnel of the Police Regional Office and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Cordillera discovered and uprooted some 275 poppy plants grown in a 50-square meter lot in Barangay Paoay.
Balao and Paoay barangay chairman Edward Puy-as said the owner had no idea that what she was growing was prohibited.
"All she knew was that it is a flower. If the lot owner had bad intentions, then she should have grown the plants in a remote area and not along the national road," the two officials told reporters on Wednesday.
Quoting from the lot owner's account, Balao said the (poppy) seeds that she cultivated were mixed with other varieties of cut flower seedlings, which was sent to her by a relative in London.
Balao further said the area planted with the opium flowers should not be termed as a "plantation," as this connotes a vast track of land.
She said the area planted with poppies only occupied seven plots of the 50- square meter lot. The other plots were grown with carnation, also a cut flower.
A total of 420 poppies were cultivated in the area, but only 275 were destroyed as the others were already sold to a flower market in Metro Manila.
The opium poppy is a plant used to produce opium, a drug that is a source of heroin and other medicines.
Misuse of opium and other drugs made from it causes addiction, which is why several nations restrict their manufacture, distribution, and use. (Sun.Star Baguio/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (April 5, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Ex-aide links mayor to Army colonel's slay