BALAMBAN, Cebu – Police here have again scored against the proliferation of marijuana after uprooting some 3,000 fully-grown marijuana plants in this town as well as in Carmen Tuesday.

 Balamban police and members of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) uprooted 1,500 marijuana plants from a plantation in Sitio Pangil, Bgy. Magsaysay, Balamban, early morning, Tuesday. The operation was part of the intensified drive against the reported presence of marijuana plantations in the province, said CPPO Director Erson Digal.

 Also at 6 a.m. Tuesday, elements of the Carmen Police Station and the Intelligence and Investigation Branch of the CPPO got rid of some 1,500 fully-grown marijuana plants in the mountain barangay of Jagnaya. Last week, some P6 million worth of grown marijuana plants and seedlings were uprooted by authorities in public property in the mountain barangay of Hagnaya, in Carmen town.

A total of 1,120 fully-grown marijuana plants, 1,000 small marijuana plants, and 10,000 seedlings were uprooted by the elements of the Regional Intelligence Unit and the Carmen Police from said property and were brought to the CPPO Headquarters for proper disposal. (Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.)

P10 M Alloted for Police Upgrade

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Seeing the need to enhance its police capability especially in terms of special operations, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes has allocated a budget of P10 million for the purchase of new equipment for the city police.

 Cortes made the announcement after a recent simulation of a hostage crisis drama in front of the city hall where he said  the city is expected to have additional police vehicles and equipment by yearend.

“The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) will soon have new bullet-proof vests, kevlars, rifles, and other highly sophisticated equipment for our Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team,” he said. The MCPO is now on an inventory of its police and SWAT equipment, while continuing capability building training.

MCPO Director Noel Gillamac has disclosed that although they have competent SWAT team members, the problem remains lack of important gear critically needed in addressing special operations. He also said that some members of the SWAT team even have to buy their own equipment.  (Phoebe Jen Indino)

Zero Potholes Ordered

ILOILO CITY  (PNA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered the immediate implementation of the ‘Zero Potholes Operation’ in all national road sections in Western Visayas which suffer intermittent but heavy rains during ongoing rainy season.

 Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Director Rolando Asis, in a memorandum sent to all district engineers here, advised that all maintenance engineers should “conduct thorough inspection of all national road networks and subsequently identify and locate affected sections, including those within the developing stages and those that need immediate repair.”

In a separate memorandum, Asis also ordered the planting of Vetiver grass along slopes, upland or hilly areas “to protect sloping terrain.”

The move, stressed the DPWH regional director, is aimed to “forestall accidents that will cause the loss of lives and properties in erosion-prone areas.”