Butuan officials burn seized marijuana to symbolize 'real freedom'

In order to solidify the city’s anti-drug efforts and to observe the Philippines’ 113th Independence Day, government officials and civic society leaders of Butuan City led the burning of part of the seized uprooted marijuana plants from an operation in Agusan del Sur last week. The burning of marijuana plants was led by Caraga Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal while officials from the courts, local government units, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the military, civic society and the Church assisted the burning of the plants held inside Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Butuan City, on Sunday.

“f you guard your children from these vices, you are building a nation free from [illegal] drugs and other vices means a true independent nation with citizens who are strong and ready to defend our nation," Rafal told those who were at the gathering. The plants were seized at 4:30 a.m. on June 8, when a composite team from the 13th Regional Public Safety Battalion, Regional Special Operation Task Group, La Paz Municipal Police Station and PDEA uprooted marijuana plants from a farm in Sitio Umayam, Barangay Casapa 1, La Paz, Agusan del Sur. Over 532 marijuana plant clusters and at least 1,000 marijuana seedlings were seized during the raid that failed to arrest anyone. Part of the confiscated plants were brought to PDEA 13 in Butuan City for proper documentation and disposal, while the rest were burned at the plantation site during the raid. — Ben Serrano with Bea Cupin/LBG, GMA News