Police on Tuesday uprooted 400 marijuana shrubs in Ubay during a follow-up operation in relation to the arrest of seven students who were caught on the same day drying marijuana leaves inside a cemetery in said town.
According to PO3 Greg Aton, the plantation was discovered after an investigation on the source of the packs of marijuana seized from the possession of the students, 6 of whom were minors.
The Ubay police found out that the seized marijuana leaves were grown in a 100-square meter area in a land owned by one Alfred Eskleto in Purok 4, Barangay San Pascual, Ubay.
However, Eskleto denied involvement in the planting of the marijuana plants.
Eskleto said that he was unaware of the kind of plants that have grown in his property and that he has no knowledge on who took care of the small marijuana plantation.
He told police that the area where the marijuana plants were grown was only used as resting place for his cattle.
According to Aton, Eskleto helped in uprooting the marijuana plants in his property.
The uprooted plants were brought to the crime lab of the Philippine National Police in Camp Dagohoy, Tagbilaran City to confirm if these were indeed marijuana.
Meanwhile, the rounded up minors were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development while the other student who is of legal age will face drug charges.
The Ubay police said that they will continue to conduct investigations to identify the people behind the growing of marijuana in Eskleto’s property
They are also on the lookout for other plantations of the illegal plant in the town. (Allen Doydora)
FOR MOBILE USERS: Scroll down for more of today’s latest news posted below the comment box.