Police destroy P108.8M worth of marijuana in Kalinga

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Police destroyed an estimated ₱108.8 million worth of marijuana plants during an anti-drug operation in Barangay Loccong, Tinglayan, Kalinga, on Tuesday, 27 October.

The Kalinga Police Provincial Office (KPPO) said authorities uprooted and burned 544,000 fully grown marijuana plants across seven plantation sites covering approximately 48,500 square meters.

The operation was conducted by personnel from the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Provincial Intelligence Unit, municipal police stations, mobile force companies and the Philippine National Police Special Action Force, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

No suspected cultivators were arrested during the operation.

Police collected samples of the uprooted plants for submission to the Kalinga Police Forensic Unit for laboratory examination.

The operation was carried out under Implementation Plan Sagumpi-II in connection with Oplan Betubut, part of the police's continuing campaign against illegal drug cultivation.

Meanwhile, KPPO Director Col. Peter Ngabit Jr. condemned the cultivation and distribution of marijuana and other illegal drugs in the province, warning that such activities threaten public safety and the welfare of young people.

Ngabit urged residents to report suspected illegal drug activities and cooperate with authorities in their enforcement operations.

The provincial police office emphasized that community participation remains essential in preventing illegal drug activities and protecting families across Kalinga.