P3.4m worth of maruijuana uprooted by troops in Cebu

March 24, 2019

Government troops uprooted P 3.4 million worth of marijuana plants in Cebu last Thursday.

Ensign Maria Amanda Precious Zamuco, public affairs officer of Naval Forces Central (NFC), said elements of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional office, Toledo City police station and the NFC through Naval Task Group 50.1 raided two marijuana plantation sites in the vicinity of Barangay Tungkay and Barangay General Climaco in Toledo City around 6 am.

“A total of around 10, 000 fully-grown marijuana plants with an estimated amount of P3.4 million were uprooted and burned during the said operation,” she said.

Zamuco said 10 fully-grown marijuana plants were collected as laboratory samples for testing and analysis.

“Reports received stated that the alleged cultivator was able to flee from the cultivation site but will be filed with appropriate charges by PDEA-7 for violation of Article II Section 16 of Republic Act 9165 (Cultivation or Culture of Plants Classified as Dangerous Drugs),” she said.

Zamuco said the identity of the cultivator is withheld due to the investigation.

It can be recalled that in third final reading of House Bill 6517 or the “Act Providing Compassionate and Right of Access to Medical Cannabis (Marijuana) and Expanding Research into its Medicinal Properties” was approved by the House of Representatives last January 29, 2019.

But President Rodrigo Duterte said he will not allow legalization of marijuana for medicinal use during his term.

“Saying it’s for medicinal (use), so everyone will say it will be for medicinal (use). That would be an excuse. I did not agree. Not in my time. Not in my time. Maybe some other --- some other president maybe,” Duterte said in his speech during the campaign rally in Negros Occidental on March 8. Robina Asido/DMS