Tanod denies cultivating weed, says he’s into veggies

A village watchman (barangay tanod) in Badian town, southern Cebu was arrested yesterday for allegedly cultivating marijuana plants.

Police confiscated 1,437 stalks of marijuana from Amancio Marquez Entice, a 60-year-old tanod in barangay Basyaw.

Senior Insp. Wilson Abot of the intelligence branch of the Cebu City Police Office said they arrested Entice at past 8 a.m. yesterday at his residence.

Entice’s son, Claudio fled upon learning about the presence of the police.

Abot added the tanod and his son have apparently been cultivating marijuana for quite sometime.

Two days before the operation, an informant tipped off the police about Entice’s alleged illegal activities and presented evidence to back his claim.

Police then rushed to Basyaw at 1 a.m. yesterday where they found and uprooted the marijuana plants. A .38 caliber revolver with six live bullets was also confiscated from Entice.

Abot said planting of marijuana in the mountainous parts of Badian is rampant.

Abot said a kilo of dried marijuana from the farmers costs between P3,000 to P4,000 and it can be sold between P30,000 to P40,000 if already packed with each sachet priced at P10. Entice denied he cultivated the plants.

He accused the police of manhandling him and forcing him to go with them to the area where the marijuana stalks were planted.

He added he cultivates cabbage and other vegetables in his small farm.

He said he even helped the police uproot marijuana every time they conduct operations in the barangay.

Entice explained that he just found the unlicensed firearm in a marijuana plantation during one of their operations last September.

He said it was the chief of police of Badian who advised him to keep the gun for his protection.

Entice will be charged with illegal possession of firearms, violation of the election gun ban and violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002, police said./Correspondent Christine Emily L. Pantaleon