P.7M WORTH OF MARIJUANA UPROOTED IN COMPOSTELA VALLEY

* Reports Say Many Drug Pushers From Davao City Have Transferred
Their Illegal Operation To Compostela Valley

AN ESTIMATED 1,500 hills and 10,000 seedlings of marijuana worth
P700,000 were recovered by authorities in New Bataan, Compostela
Valley on last November 23.

Sr. Supt. Nestor Quinsay, provincial police director, said a joint
police and military team raided the marijuana plantation in Sitio
Bantuayan, Barangay Camanlangan around 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Quinsay said Alberto Dagacena, 48, resident of Camanlangan, was
arrested while the suspect's two brothers were able to escape.

Quinsay said the successful drug raid was a result of the strengthened
anti-drug campaign in coordination with other agencies, like the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Philippine Army.

Governor Jose Caballero, meanwhile, congratulated the raiding team for
a job well done.

Caballero said aside from busting marijuana plantations, the
Provincial Government is also beefing up its anti-drug information
campaign especially in schools.

On Friday, an inter-agency information drive was held at a secondary
school in Nabunturan to educate students on the ill effects of drug
abuse and how to protect themselves from drug pushers.

Quinsay admitted there is a brewing problem on drugs abuse in the
province. He said most of the target of drug dealers are the young
ones, age 14 to 16.

"Kaya puspusan ngayon ang aming information drive sa mga high school
students upang di sila maging biktima nitong mga drug pushers,"
Quinsay said.

Reports were rife that many drug pushers from Davao City had
transferred their illegal operation to Compostela Valley.

Quinsay said though that they have not monitored any big drug
syndicates in his area of responsibility but added that they are not
taking any chances.

He said they are now monitoring some personalities involved in illegal
drug trade and in no time, he promised, the suspects will fall.