CAMP DANGWA, Benguet -- Five local tourists who visited famous tattoo artist Apo Whang-od in Barangay Buscalan in Tinglayan,Kalinga were arrested for transporting P2.5 millions worth of marijuana bricks at a police checkpoint in Sitio Dinakan, Barangay Dangoy, Lubuagan, Kalinga on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Brig. Gen. Ronald Oliver Lee, regional director of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera, identified the arrested suspects as Mark Adrian Aguilar,18; Andrie Punsalan, 21; Ramil Limtoyoco Dela Cruz, 21; Alvin Triplett Medel, 24 and Mark Joseph Dela Pena,23, from Pampanga and the National Capital Region Lee said an intelligence operative spotted the five suspects around 3:00 p.m carrying bricks of suspected marijuana in the said barangay as they boarded a public utility bus bound for Tabuk City.
The operative immediately informed the 2nd Kalinga Provincial Mobile Force Company (KPMFC) based in Barangay Dangoy, Lubuagan, Kalinga which responded immediately.
The KPMFC operatives confiscated from the suspects 17 bricks of dried marijuana leaves with an estimated weight of 15,028 grams with Standard Drug Price (SDP) of P1,803,360; eight tubular marijuana leaves weighing 5,480 grams with SDP of P657,600; two small ashes in cigarette form weighing 10 grams with SDP of P1,200; and four sachets of marijuana placed inside cookies weighing 360 grams and with an estimated SDP of P43,200.
The markings and inventory of the pieces of evidence seized were conducted on-site in the presence of the suspects and witnessed by Bernadeth C. Malayao, Department of Justice representative and Kagawad Edna Taotao of Barangay Dangoy.
The suspects, along with the confiscated evidence, were brought to Lubuagan Municipal Police Station (MPS) for documentation and proper disposition. The suspect will be facing charges for violation of RA 9165,the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.