THREE men were arrested, while 22 pieces of marijuana bricks in tubular form were confiscated by police during a checkpoint along the Bontoc-Kalinga Road in Sitio Cheta, Bontoc Ili, Bontoc, Mountain Province on April 21.
Arrested were Paolalphiny Canilao Octavio, 20, Jaden Rongavilla Residuo, 20, and John Loyd Ocampo Rojales, 21, all residents of Buli, Muntinlupa City.
Before their arrest, a concerned citizen reported to police that the suspects will be transporting illegal drugs on board a passenger jitney plying the Tinglayan–Bontoc route.
Joint personnel of Bontoc Municipal Police Station and members of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–Mountain Province immediately conducted a checkpoint and were able to flag down the vehicle.
During the operation, 18 pieces of marijuana bricks and four pieces of tubular marijuana with an estimated total weight of 20,004 kilograms, drug paraphernalia, assorted identification cards, and three cellular phones were seized from the suspects.
Case for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, was filed against the suspects who are now detained at Bontoc police station.
Meanwhile, the Cordillera police encouraged the community to report to authorities any suspected illegal drug activities in their localities for the immediate arrest of suspects.
“We thank the concerned citizen for providing us with this valuable and timely information that led to the arrest of these suspects. Your police force will continuously conduct proactive operations as we are committed to prevent, if not wipe out the proliferation of all forms of illegal drugs in the region,” said Brigadier Israel Ephraim Dickson, Police Regional Office–Cordillera director.
Dickson also called on the public to report to authorities any untoward incidents this summer vacation through social media and police hotlines.