SOME P564,000 worth of marijuana plants and seedlings were seized in the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet by the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera over the weekend.

On May 30, joint personnel of Lubuagan Municipal Police Station (LMPS), 2nd Kalinga Provincial Mobil Force Command (KPMFC) and 50th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (PA) were manning the quarantine command post (QCP) in Sitio Manangol, Barangay Mabilong, Lubuagan, Kalinga when they flagged down a motorcycle driven by Rodelio Banosan to verify his travel documents.

In a belated report, police unexpectedly saw marijuana wrapped in cellophane protruding from the suspect's slightly opened backpack when Banosan alighted from his motorcycle to get his documents.

Banosan tried to scamper and jumped into the ravine but was subsequently arrested.

Seized items from the suspect were 4.3 kilos of dried marijuana leaves with a Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P516,000.

On the same day in the Province of Benguet, police personnel of Kibungan MPS, Provincial Investigation Unit (PIU), Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit(PDEU) of Benguet Provincial Police Office (BPPO) and representatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Cordillera destroyed 400 pieces of marijuana seedlings with a DDB value of P48,000 in Sitio Adawey, Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet.

Police said the illegal weeds were planted on a lot with an estimated land area of 300 square meters.

In another site in Sitio Lamagan, Tacadang, Kibungan, a marijuana eradication operation was conducted earlier by joint personnel Kibungan MPS, Provincial Investigation Branch and PDEU of Benguet PPO and PDEA-Cordillera.

The eradication operation resulted in the discovery and destruction of 100 pieces of fully grown marijuana planted on a lot with an estimated land area of 200 square meters and a DDB value of P20,000.