TABUK CITY, Kalinga – More than P2.4 million worth of marijuana were recovered inside a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that was involved in a vehicular accident at barangay Bado Dangwa, here, recently.
Members of the Traffic Management Unit (TMU) of Tabuk PNP, under the supervision of PLTCOL Dinulong B. Tombali, responded to an alleged traffic accident in the said barangay involving a white SUV Toyota Fortuner with Plate Number GAF08; registered under the name of Fernando G. Maccay, a resident of Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga and a Yamaha Aerox Motorcycle with driven by Adrial Combit Pangibitan, a resident of barangay Bantay.
According to eyewitnesses, the white Toyota Fortuner came from the direction of barangay Bantay going towards barangay Calanan and the Motorcycle was coming from the opposite direction. That at a sharp curve, the SUV swerved to the opposite lane which caused the collision with the incoming motorcycle.
Both vehicles rolled and landed on the ditch on the side of the road. The driver of the motorcycle was rushed by responding motorists to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (KPH) but the driver of the white Toyota Fortuner allegedly fled on foot and remains unidentified.
According to the PNP personnel, upon inspection of the SUV vehicle involved, they discovered 20 suspected jacked marijuana bricks inside weighing 20,400 grams with estimated value of P 2,448,000.00.
Operatives of Tabuk CPS (led unit), PIU, PECU, PDEU, RID PRO-COR, RDEU, RSOG were called to the scene together with witnesses from the DOJ, Media, and the Brgy Captain of Bado, Dangwa.
Further search of the white Toyota Fortuner by the joint operatives yielded none drug items which included a Black key pad Samsung phone; Certificate of registration and Official receipt; Advantage Card and an ATM Card.
On site inventory was conducted and ended at around 3:20PM October 3, 2021 duly witnessed by the witnesses from DOJ, Nakingngak Bangloy, media representative, Miss Melisa Guavez and Brgy Capt. Mario Sawad of Bado Dangwa, Tabuk City.
Mayor Darwin C. Estranero issued a stern warning to all those planning to ferry any form of drugs and other contrabands into Tabuk City saying, the PNP-Tabuk and its partner agencies will be ready to accost them.
He lauded the members of the TMU and other operatives for a job well done but ordered them to locate the whereabouts of the driver who fled the scene. He likewise ordered his staff to check on the condition of the motorcycle driver who was brought to the hospital.
