By Rachel Magday
DUPAX DEL SUR, Nueva Vizcaya — Law enforcement authorities uprooted and destroyed an estimated ₱20 million worth of marijuana plants following the discovery of a hidden plantation in a remote upland area here on Tuesday, March 17.
The operation, carried out in Sitio Gunot, Barangay Kimbutan, was led by the Dupax del Sur Municipal Police Station under Police Major Anthony Ayungo, in coordination with the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, the Provincial Intelligence Unit, and the Provincial Drug Enforcement Agency(PDEA).
Police said the marijuana plantation was discovered by operatives on the afternoon of March 16 while conducting monitoring operations in Sitio Gunot. The discovery prompted immediate verification, which confirmed the presence of the illegal cultivation site, leading authorities to swiftly launch an operation to dismantle the plantation and identify those responsible.
A total of 10,311 marijuana plants were uprooted from a 1,200-square-meter site. Authorities noted that a significant portion of the crop was already mature and nearing harvest, while the rest were in various stages of growth.
Ayungo said the plantation showed clear indications of organized cultivation, with the terrain deliberately prepared for planting. Its remote location—accessible only after more than an hour of trekking—suggested a calculated effort to avoid detection.
No individuals were apprehended during the operation.
However, investigators observed signs that the plants had been recently sprayed, indicating that the cultivators may have fled shortly before authorities arrived.
Sufficient samples were collected and preserved for submission to the Provincial Forensic Unit (PFU) for laboratory examination, while the remaining plants were destroyed at the site through burning.
Police have launched follow-up investigations to identify those behind the illegal operation and to file appropriate charges.
Authorities described the operation as a major setback to illegal drug production in the province, underscoring that the destruction of the plantation prevented the circulation of prohibited substances in surrounding communities.
The Philippine National Police also assured that sustained monitoring and surveillance operations will be conducted in the area and nearby localities to prevent future cultivation.
