Lt. Col. Vernon Santiago, Bataan Crime lab chief, gets representative samples from bags of marijuana leaves as RTC Judge Emmanuel Silva closely watches. Contributed photo
BALANGA CITY — The Regional Trial Court in Bataan on Thursday issued an order for destruction and disposal of more than five kilos of dried marijuana leaves, estimated at P600,000, seized by police during a buy-bust operation last Nov. 11 in Mariveles, Bataan.
Executive Judge Emmanuel Silva of the RTC Branch 4 in Balanga City made the order to the Bataan Provincial Crime Laboratory after inspecting the confiscated illegal drugs.
Silva said seized drugs of one kilogram and above have to be disposed of immediately as mandated in a Supreme Court circular to avoid the danger of recycling.
Lt. Col. Vernon R. Santiago, Bataan Crime Lab chief, said that they will turn over the marijuana to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Angeles City that will burn it through an incinerator with other confiscated illegal drugs in the region.
Silva made an ocular inspection of the four bricks and two plastic bags, all containing marijuana fruiting tops.
Santiago opened the plastic bags, got some marijuana leaves from each bag and weighed it as representative samples of the illegal drugs.
A stenographer recorded observations made by the judge as part of court proceedings.
Col. Joel Tampis, Bataan police director, said the illegal drugs estimated at P600,000 were confiscated in a buy-bust operation in Mariveles where two suspects from Baguio City were arrested.
Also seized from the suspects were the P1,000-marked money, a gray Toyota Innova and four pieces of ammunition for 9mm, the provincial police director said.
Tampis said cases for violation of Sec. 5 & 11 of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) and RA 10591 (Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) were filed against the suspects.
