By Dionisio Dennis, Jr./Philippine News Agency
BAGUIO CITY — Three young adults and four minors were arrested on Sunday evening for transporting marijuana, with an estimated value of PHP2.88 million.
Rosel Sarmiento, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Cordillera information officer, identified the three adults as Ariston Antonio, 18; Stacey Gerodiaz, 18, male, resident of Tarlac; and Daniel Bagnas Villalubos, 18, resident of Botolan, Zambales; and four alleged minors. Three of them are aged 16 and the other a 17-year-old.
Seized from them were 27 bricks of marijuana dried leaves and two dried marijuana fruiting tops in tubular form.
The operation was conducted around 10:10 p.m. on July 28 at the Slaughter bus terminal in Barangay Sto. Niño. The bus came from Bontoc, Mountain Province and was intercepted at the bus station upon a tip from individuals.
Sarmiento said the alleged minors were rescued and brought to the custody of the PDEA Cordillera.
“They [minors] are currently housed at the PDEA,” Sarmiento said.
She added that the parents of the minors have been informed and they already arrived in Baguio to see their children.
Sarmiento said the minors would be charged and the Department of Justice would wait for the disposition of their case, whether there is “discernment” when they committed the crime.
Sarmiento said that several “tourists” have been arrested in the past days — seven in Ifugao and two in Kalinga, who are from Metro Manila and have travelled to the region, bringing with them marijuana.
She said they are conducting a probe to determine whether the “tourists” are part of a syndicate that pays young people to visit Cordillera and bring marijuana in going back to Metro Manila.
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