Police destroy ₱11.25M marijuana farms in Cordillera

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Police Regional Office–Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO-CAR) has successfully eradicated marijuana plantations worth an estimated ₱11.25 million in the provinces of Kalinga and Benguet during a series of anti-drug operations conducted on December 24, 2025.

In Kalinga, operatives discovered five marijuana plantations containing approximately 45,000 fully grown marijuana plants with a total Standard Drug Price (SDP) of ₱9 million.

The plantations were located in Barangays Loccong, Buscalan, Butbut Proper, and Tulgao East in the municipality of Tinglayan.

The operation was carried out by a joint team composed of the 2nd Kalinga Provincial Mobile Force Company, Tinglayan Municipal Police Station (MPS), Tanudan MPS, Balbalan MPS, Rizal MPS, the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) of the Kalinga Police Provincial Office, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Kalinga.

Meanwhile, in Benguet, authorities uncovered seven marijuana plantations planted with an estimated 11,250 fully grown marijuana plants valued at ₱2.25 million.

These were found in Barangay Tacadang, Kibungan, and Barangay Kayapa in Bakun.

The Benguet operation involved personnel from the Kibungan MPS, 1st Benguet Provincial Mobile Force Company, Bakun MPS, PDEU and PIU of the Benguet Police Provincial Office, the Regional Intelligence Division of PRO-CAR, Regional Intelligence Unit-14, and PDEA-CAR.

All discovered marijuana plants were immediately uprooted and destroyed by burning after proper documentation.

Police said investigations are ongoing to identify other possible marijuana plantation sites in nearby areas and to determine the individuals behind the illegal cultivation.