CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Police here seized cannabis plants (marijuana) worth almost a million pesos in two separate sting operations Saturday.
Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, authorities arrested Francisco Neri, 39, and Estephen Nery, 22, during separate buy-bust operations, said Police Insp. Mardi Hortillosa,Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) spokesperson.
Police said the buy-bust operation that occurred at Neri’s house in Brgy. Macasandig recovered three kilograms of dried marijuana leaves, with street value of Php900,000.
A man who was inside the vicinity, identified as 33-year old Don Claudio Absin, was also arrested.
The operation that caused the arrest of Nery, a resident of Brgy. Nazareth, yielded only dried marijuana leaves worth P36,000, police said.
Hortillosa said Nery provided vital information on the operation of his other colleagues in the illegal marijuana trade.
In an interview, Nery said he was an advocate of marijuana legalization in the Philippines, and is only selling cannabis for medical purposes.
While cannabis has been legalized in some countries, recreational and medicinal marijuana remain illegal in the Philippines. A bill pending in Congress seeks to legalize its medicinal use. (Mark D. Francisco/PNA)
