Police seized illegal drugs worth ₱9,816,976 and arrested four suspected drug personalities during separate anti-drug operations conducted in Benguet, Baguio City and Kalinga on Jan. 20, 2026, authorities said.
The operations were carried out by the Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region as part of its intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
In Benguet, authorities discovered 16 marijuana plantation sites containing 36,230 fully grown marijuana plants, 3,200 marijuana seedlings and 20,000 grams of dried marijuana stalks. Police estimated the standard drug price of the seized marijuana at ₱9,774,000.
The marijuana eradication operation was conducted in the towns of Kibungan and Bakun through the joint efforts of municipal police stations, provincial police units, intelligence teams and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Cordillera region.
Authorities said the marijuana plants were immediately uprooted and burned. Investigations are ongoing to identify other plantation sites and individuals responsible for cultivating the plants.
Two suspects were also arrested in separate buy-bust operations in Benguet. In Mankayan, a 40-year-old man identified as a street-level individual was arrested in Barangay Palasaan after police seized two sachets of suspected shabu weighing 4.32 grams, valued at ₱29,376. Another suspect, 37, was arrested in Barangay Tuding in Itogon with two sachets of suspected shabu weighing 0.6 gram, valued at ₱4,080.
In Baguio City, a 30-year-old street-level individual was arrested in Barangay Outlook Drive. Police confiscated 1 gram of suspected shabu valued at ₱6,800.
Meanwhile, in Kalinga, a 20-year-old suspect was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Magsaysay, Tabuk City, with 0.4 gram of suspected shabu valued at ₱2,720.
The suspects and seized evidence were turned over to the appropriate police units. Charges for violations of Republic Act No. 9165 are being prepared.
