NEWSBRIEFS

DAVAO DEL SUR

6 held for marijuana

Davao del Sur antidrugs agents arrested six men during a buy-bust operation in Barangay (village) Basiawan, Sta. Maria town, on Friday.

Senior Insp. De Quencio Pante, chief of the Provincial Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Force, said the suspects yielded two kilograms of marijuana during the operation and were immediately taken into custody.

Mc Juncher Semillano, 27, and Jerry Kimnon Roman, 25; both residents of Malungon, Sarangani province; Arven Gabriel Camarino, 25; Ramil Sambayon de la Penes, 27; Melco Cedillo Arancon, 20, and John Tanghal Carmen, 20, all residents of Barangay Basiawan, had been charged with violation of the antinarcotics law, Pante said.

Senior Supt. Michael John Dubria, intelligence chief of the Southern Mindanao police, said the antidrugs operation was part of the intensified  action against illegal drugs. Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao

NORTH COTABATO

Tornado destroys P6M in agri products

A twister swept through a banana plantation in two remote villages in Mlang town on Friday, damaging more than P6 million worth of agricultural products, officials said on Saturday.

Mayor Joselito Piñol said the “freak tornado,” which developed amid dark cloud formation and strong winds hit Lepaga and Gaunan, where more than 50 hectares of agricultural lands planted to Cavendish banana were located.

Piñol said the bananas were due for harvest within the week when the tornado swept through the two adjoining villages at about 4 p.m. Piñol convened the municipal agriculture council to determine how to help the banana farmers who were cultivating the lands.

Williamor Magbanua and Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao