PDEA-7 agents arrest 1, uproot P4M worth of marijuana plants in Asturias, Cebu
Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7) uprooted over P4 million worth or marijuana plants on Monday morning, July 26, in a plantation in Asturias, Cebu. | Photo from PDEA-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Fully grown marijuana plants worth P4,060,000 were uprooted on Monday, July 26, from a plantation that is located in a mountain barangay in Asturias town in midwestern Cebu.
Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) also arrested a man who is believed to be the plantation’s cultivator.
The suspect was identified as Edwin Camaongay, 47.
Leia Albiar, PDEA-7 spokesperson, said they planned their operation after they received a tip that Camaongay was growing marijuana plants on a 1, 000 square meter land located in Purok 1, Barangay Kaluangan in Asturias town.
PDEA-7 agents uprooted a total of 10, 150 fully grown marijuana plants from the plantation.
Albiar said law enforcers also raided two plantations that were located in the same barangay and were cultivated by his son and a nephew in April and February, respectively, but they failed to make any arrests.
The plantation that was under the care of Camaongay’s son was already empty when agents arrived. It looked like its marijuana plants were recently harvested, she said.
On the other hand, PDEA-7 agents found the plantation that was under the care of Camaongay’s nephew and managed to uproot its marijuana plants but they failed to arrest the cultivator.
But Albiar is confident that they will soon be able to arrest these individuals and others who are also engaged in this illegal activity.
With the continuous implementation of their Barangay Drug Clearing Program, Albiar said residents in the area are now empowered to participate in the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
Community involvement, she said, plays an important role in their continuous monitoring of marijuana plantations in the neighboring localities of Toledo and Balamban.
” We have observed the progress [in our campaign]. Back then, the residents hesitate to report to us as they are afraid that the involved drug personalities might retaliate. Now, as these drug personalities are aware that the community is already empowered, they are now the once afraid of the people,” she said.
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