BONTOC, Mountain Province – Eight alleged drug couriers posing as tourists, including an a 7-year old minor, were apprehended by combined police operatives and anti-narcotics agents after having found in their possession close to P20 million worth of marijuana during separate operations at Caluttit, here Saturday night.
At around 9:15PM of March 7, 2020, operatives conducted a Checkpoint along Lower Caluttit, Bontoc, Mt. Province and were able to found 145 pieces of marijuana bricks and in tubular forms worth P 16,080,000.00 enclosed in cartons/big boxes boarded in a black Chevrolet vehicle with five individuals including a minor. The four individuals, Joseph Petilona, 35, resident of Angeles, Pampanga; Mark Kevin Guzman, 21, resident of Quezon City; Niño Acio, 25, resident of Tabon, Angeles City; and Princess Guma, 18, resident of Anunas, Angeles City were arrested and the minor aged seven was rescued. Other pieces of evidence confiscated from the suspects were one 9mm Pistol; brown holster; 2 pcs magazine; 20 pcs 9mm ammunitions; and four units of cellular phones.
While the operatives were on the process of documenting the first result of the operation, same operatives received information that another group of tourist would be passing the same route coming from Buscalan, Kalinga hence; the operatives maintained their post at Caluttit, Bontoc, Mt. Province. Operatives were able to found 27 pieces of Marijuana bricks and in tubular forms worth P3, 308,400.00 together with three individuals boarded by an orange vehicle. The three were identified as Jerald Escanillas, 22; John Vincent Santos, 20; and Princess Diana Kling, 21; all residents of Angeles City, Pampanga. A certain Ryan Joe Courpin was mentioned as one of their companions but evade arrest.
This successful operation was through the combined efforts of PDEA-Mt. Province, Bontoc MPS, PDEU, PMFC, RIU, RID, PIB and MPPO.
All the individuals are under the custody of PNP Mt. Province facing charges for violation of RA 9165. By Joseph Manzano
Photo credits to PDEA-RoCordillera