PNP personnel conducts an inventory of the contraband seized from the suspect. Image from PNP-PIO
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested a dental technician in possession of some P1.5 million worth of marijuana while posing as a tourist in Mountain Province
The PNP in a police report identified the suspect as Rosendo Don Piquero Tadeo, 24, a dental technician who was arrested on Easter Sunday during an interdiction operation in Bontoc, Mountain Province.
According to the PNP, Sadanga’s local Municipal Police Station (MPS) was conducting a checkpoint in Ampawilen, Poblacion village when a Kalinga to Bontoc Ace Finder bus that the suspect was boarding arrived.
One of the passengers then secretly pointed to the bags allegedly containing suspected contraband which triggered suspicion among officers on duty and prompting operatives of Sadanga MPS to follow the bus proceeding towards Bontoc, Mt. Province.
Upon the arrival of the bus, the suspect was then seen walking towards a rotonda of Poblacion, Bontoc, where he immediately turned back upon noticing the Summer Vacation Assistance Desk manned by PNP personnel.
“This prompted the operatives to accost him,” said the PNP in the report.
Police then recovered 14 bricks of dried marijuana leaves from the suspect with an estimated value of P1,562,520.
“This is a concrete example that if ever our police personnel would somehow find the actions of any driver or passenger subjected to our checkpoint as absurd or suspicious, then the procedure is to coordinate with a nearby unit to assist in the monitoring of the subject,” said PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos.
Carlos said that the PNP maintains its mandate to only implement visual search in checkpoints, except when the need arises that someone will act strangely.
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