10,200 Marijuana plants in Kalinga worth ₱2.04M wiped out

KALINGA — More than 10,200 marijuana plants and seedlings with an estimated value of ₱2.04 million were uprooted and destroyed in anti-illegal drug operations in Tinglayan, Kalinga, according to the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PROCOR) in a report released September 14, 2026.

The Kalinga operation was part of a series of police actions conducted from September 10 to 12 in several parts of Luzon, targeting marijuana cultivation sites and the movement of illegal drugs.

Police, working with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other concerned units, conducted eradication operations in Kalinga, as well as in Benguet and Ilocos Sur.

In Ilocos Sur, more than 17,400 marijuana plants and seedlings, valued at around ₱3.68 million, were uprooted and destroyed.

Meanwhile, a separate buy-bust operation in Binangonan, Rizal led to the arrest of two suspects, aged 23 and 22, and the confiscation of approximately 1,000 grams of suspected shabu worth ₱6.8 million based on the Standard Drug Price.

Overall, the PNP reported the recovery and destruction of more than 32,600 marijuana plants and seedlings and the seizure of about one kilogram of suspected shabu, with a combined estimated value of ₱12.52 million.

Cutting the supply at the source

PNP Chief PGen Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the operations are part of the police strategy to disrupt the illegal drug supply chain—from cultivation and production to transportation and distribution.

“We are looking at the whole picture—from where these drugs are grown or produced to where they are being moved and sold,” Nartatez said.

He added that cutting the supply at its source helps protect communities from illegal drugs.

The operations were conducted under the PNP’s Focused Agenda and Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO), which emphasize coordinated action and the deployment of police resources where they are most needed.

The PNP said it will continue working with partner agencies and local communities to prevent the cultivation, movement and distribution of illegal drugs, while ensuring that operations remain within legal procedures and respect individual rights.