KAPANGAN, Benguet – Three drug couriers were arrested by combined police operatives and anti-narcotics agents after they were found to be in possession of some P6 million worth of dried marijuana leaves in tubular form in a checkpoint at Sitio Lomon, Barangay Paykeke, here, Monday.
Police Col. Reynaldo Pasiwen, provincial director of the Benguet Provincial Police Office, identified the arrested suspects as Marry Ann Felipe Del Rosario, 22; Simiano Tadina Patingan, 36; and Jun Comot Colera, 31.
The police official disclosed that operatives of Kapangan MPS, while conducting checkpoint operation has flagged down a Mitsubishi Montero vehicle. And, while inspecting, the operatives discovered suspected illegal drugs inside the vehicle. Further, one of the operatives noticed a protruding firearm which was tucked on the waist of Colera.
The incident resulted to the arrest of the three suspects and the confiscation of two sacks of suspected dried marijuana in tubular form weighing more or less 50 kilograms with estimated worth of P 6,000,000.00.
Also, a caliber .45 pistol with one magazine containing seven live ammunition and a Montero Sport vehicle used for transportation were confiscated from the suspects.
On-site inventory of the seized pieces of evidence was conducted in the presence of Prosecutor Winston Suaking, Barangay Captain Hanzel Manis and Media Representative Denver Bastingo.
The suspects and the confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to Kapangan MPS for proper disposition and for inquest proceedings for violation of R.A 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. While, Colera will be facing an additional charge for the violation of R.A 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.