THREE suspected illegal drug couriers were arrested by police for possession of close to P3 million worth of marijuana around 10:10 p.m. of October 14 in a bus terminal at Slaughter Compound, Barangay Sto. Niño, Baguio City.
According to a report from the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Station 2, the suspects were identified as Samuel Flor Christian Baldovino, 21; Joseph Buna Obra Brizuela, 22, student; and Rhyjen Rodriquez Hernandez, 24, all residents of Antipilo City who rode on a bus from Bontoc, Mt. Province going to Baguio City.
Seized during the operation were 17 pieces of dried marijuana leaves in brick form and one rolled dried marijuana leaves weighing close to 17.5 kilograms amounting to P3,040,000.
Inventory of confiscated pieces of evidence were conducted onsite while the suspects together with the pieces of drug evidence was brought to the PDEA Regional Crime Laboratory Office-Cordillera for drug test and chemistry examination.
Personnel of Station 2 lead by Police Major Joel Kindipan Dumar together with team composed of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Mt. Province led by Agent Edwin Changrapen, PDEA Benguet led by Agent Charston Carame, Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) Benguet led by Police Lieutenant Toyoken, PDEA Baguio, Provincial Intelligence Bureau( PIB) Benguet, Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) and other operatives of La Trinidad Municipal Police Station and the Regional Mobil Force Brigade (RMFB) 15 conducted the operation.
Meanwhile, a high-value target pusher was arrested in Abra Province on Sunday.
Dennis Millare Montorio and “Janice” were arrested in Barangay Lingtan, Bangued, Abra in the early morning of October 13.
The duo was arrested after joint personnel of Bangued MPS, 1st PMFC Abra PPO, RMFB15 and PDEA Abra implemented a Search Warrant issued by Judge Rouella Melinda Atmosfera of MTC, Lagangilang, Abra.
Confiscated from the duo were two transparent heat-sealed plastic sachet containing suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) and several drug paraphernalia.
On October 10, P576,000 worth of abandoned marijuana was recovered in Sitio Kesat, Bontoc Ili, Bontoc, Mountain Province in the afternoon of October 10 by joint operatives of PDEA Mt Province, RIU-14, PDEU and Bontoc Municipal Police Station.
Recovered items were two blue bags containing four marijuana bricks weighing 4,000 grams worth P480,000 and two tubular Marijuana weighing 800 grams worth P96,000.
Brigadier General Israel Ephraim Dickson, Police Regional Office – Cordillera regional director said he has enjoined the entire regional police force to work incessantly to identify and pursue drug offenders.
“We will continue to seek reductions and eventually totally cut the supply of drugs that come from the Cordillera mountains,” added Dickson. (Jonathan Llanes)