Sagada execs, cops watched for drugs

BAGUIO CITY—Officials of the tourist town of Sagada in Mountain Province and its police are under scrutiny following drug raids conducted on  Oct. 24 that led to the arrest of owners of some business establishments there.

Gil Cesario Castro, acting Cordillera director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA),  said some Sagada residents were furious because the arrests had put the popular tourism destination in a bad light.

Owners of three Sagada restaurants were among the seven people arrested for allegedly maintaining marijuana dens there.

Castro said the arrests had caught the attention of other drug enforcement officials from abroad since the town is frequented by foreign tourists.

“Investigations are ongoing. I [have been] wondering why they were not able to detect the illegal drug activity in the restaurants when they are just a few meters from the Sagada police station,” said Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong, Cordillera police director.

The police had not pinpointed any town official, Castro said, adding that the investigation would focus on everyone who might  have allowed the drug dens to operate for years.

Magalong said Sagada had earned a reputation as a source of marijuana, which is why the town police are also being investigated for dereliction.

“They failed to aggressively address the illegal drug activities in their municipality,” he said.

Sagada Mayor Eduardo Latawan, in a telephone interview on Friday, said he hoped the town would be “cleared of illegal drugs and illegal drug traders.”

“I hope that the PDEA operation would catch everyone involved, including foreigners,” he said.

But he said the Sagada raids had not affected the tourist influx. Sagada has been popular for its hanging coffins and underground caves.

Castro said groups involved in the marijuana and hashish trade in Sagada were “armed, well organized and well financed.” “We will pursue all possible angles and will investigate everyone who is responsible. Our investigation will not be selective,” he said.

He said hashish oil could be produced in a backyard. A kilo of dried marijuana leaves can sell for P2,500 but a 10-gram bar of hashish can be sold for P5,000 to P7,000, according to the PDEA. A kilo of marijuana produces one hashish bar. With a report from Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon