LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. led the ceremonial destruction of confiscated illegal drugs, particularly uprooted marijuana plants, worth over P565.1 million during the celebration of the 122nd Police Service anniversary held at Camp Dangwa, here, Thursday afternoon.
PGEN ACORDA, JR., together with PBGen David K Peredo Jr., the Regional Director of PRO Cordillera; PMGen Jon A. Arnaldo, the Commander of Area Police Command-Northern Luzon; BGen Danilo D. Benavides, the Assistant Division Commander, 5th ID, Philippine Army; Commodore Roger P. Viduya, PN, the Assistant Superintendent, PMA; and, Director Julius M. Paderes of PDEA-Cordillera, held torches and simultaneously set fire the assorted illegal drugs composed of 5 kilograms of marijuana bricks and 300 marijuana stalks as representation of the numerous marijuana plants discovered and burned from the series of marijuana eradication operations conducted in the Cordillera region.
According to the data, from April 2022 to March 2023, a total of 185 marijuana eradication operations were conducted in the region that resulted in the discovery of 2.39 million pieces of fully grown marijuana plants, 20,000 pieces of marijuana seedlings, 712 kilograms of dried marijuana leaves/stalks/fruiting tops, and 2.5 kilograms of marijuana seeds, with a total Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P565,143,700.00.
Moreover, from April 2023 to date, the Benguet Police Provincial Office (PPO) under the leadership of PCol Damian Olsim, Provincial Director, was able to accomplish a total of 129 marijuana eradication operations in more or less 18,938 square meters of land area within the province that resulted in the destruction of 117, 784 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants, 42,150 pieces of marijuana seedlings, and 1,154,000 grams of dried marijuana leaves and stalks with a total SDP of P63,722,800.00.
Said accomplishments are the result of the continuous campaign of PRO Cordillera against illegal drugs, under the leadership of PBGen Peredo, Jr.
The PNP chief lauded the PRO-COR for their significant accomplishment in the government’s anti-drug campaign that contributed in reducing the volume of drugs being circulated in the market and prevented the youth from being exposed to the negative effects of the use of illegal drugs.
He rallied law enforcers to intensify their anti-illegal drug campaign without compromising other similar operations to be able to rid the country with the proliferation of illegal drugs which is considered as one of the root causes of the crimes being committed in the different parts of the archipelago. By Dexter A. See
