MANILA: Police arrested four persons, including a foreigner, and hauled more than P300,000 worth of illegal drugs in separate operations in the towns of Daanbantayan, Balamban and Asturias and in Talisay City.
At the wharf of Barangay Maya, Daanbantayan at 7 a.m. yesterday morning, Leichtenstein national Willie Marco, 48, was caught for allegedly carrying 1,000 grams of dried marijuana leaves.
PO3 Victor Avenido, an investigator, said that a woman called the police three hours before the arrest, tipping them about a foreigner on board a bus from Cebu City, who was reportedly carrying marijuana.
The informant described the foreigner to be wearing a black shirt, denim jeans and carrying two bags.
The foreigner was bound for Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan, according to the woman.
Avenido said his team went to the wharf and waited for the bus to arrive.
After the bus parked and the foreigner got off the bus, Avenido said his team approached the suspect and introduced themselves as police officers.
Marco allegedly suddenly threw a jacket and ran, but the officers were able to grab and subdue him.
Avenido said his team recovered a plastic bag containing dried marijuana leaves, weighing 500 grams. The bag was covered by the jacket.
The cops also noticed Marco kicking something inside the hole of a rock.
When they picked it up, the thing looked like a chocolate bar, but it turned out to be processed marijuana leaves that also weighed 500 grams.
The foreigner told the police that he would mix the processed marijuana leaves in coffee.
Marco is reportedly living with his Filipina girlfriend.
Avenido said they are tracking down the supplier of the foreigner, who was reportedly uncooperative during the investigation.
Marco has been in the Philippines several times. He last arrived in the country last Dec. 22.
Last Thursday afternoon, police arrested Cicero Baliguat Ricardo Jr. and seized 16 grams of white crystals believed to be shabu in a buy-bust in Barangay Cantuod, Balamban.
The contraband was worth P176,000 per the Dangerous Drugs Board’s estimate.
On the same day, suspected drug pusher Marvin Canillo Ople was caught in Asturias, while Tomas Catamco Pueblas was collared in Talisay City.
The suspects will face complaints for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
