Sunday, November 23, 2008

Another Marijuana plantation seized in ASG known areas

The Anti narco-terrorism efforts in Sulu Province for almost five (5) months of the Command is once again proven successful with the raid of about 2-hectare marijuana plantation located at Sitio Bulas, Patao, Maimbung, Sulu by the Marine Battalion Landing Team 4 (MBLT4).

On or about 2:18 PM of November 10, 2008, joint operating team of MBLT-4 and other Marine operatives led by Major Jonathan Gabor, with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided said plantation.

On orders from Joint Task Force Comet Major General Juancho Sabban, the team tactically entered into a marijuana nursery farmland. The team uprooted more or less 500 marijuana hemps and burned an estimated 2,000 marijuana seedlings supposedly intended for the said vast plantation.

This is part of the series of raids by the unit in Maimbung and Talipao, Sulu. The first one was on 22 may 2008, where special operations were conducted by the Special Operations Platoon 4 of MBLT4 also led by Major Gabor together with operatives from 3 rd Marine Brigade in a reported marijuana plantation at Brgy. Patao, Maimbung, Sulu and discovered the site with approximately two (2) hectares of marijuana plantation. Approximately fifty thousand (50,000) marijuana plants with an estimated value of Thirty Million Pesos (P30,000,000.00) were confiscated and apprehended a certain Akaradja Sali, thirty (30) yrs old, resident of Laum, Maimbung, Sulu, a suspected marijuana producer/dealer who was subsequently turned-over to PNP Sulu. The troops immediately burned an estimated four (4) truck load of marijuana plants at the plantation site while two (2) truck load (m35 and isuzu elf) of marijuana plant where brought at MBLT4 for proper disposition as evidence.

The second successful raid made by the same unit was on 26 June 2008 and uprooted marijuana plants in about 1.5 hectares farmland at Brgy. Binuang, Talipao, Sulu. The uprooted marijuana plants of about two (2) truck loads were estimated to be worth Two (2) Million Pesos.

ASG Hostage Milet Mendoza Released


Humanitarian volunteer hostaged by the Abu Sayyaf Group in Basilan was released on November 14, 2008 at about 10:30pm to Vice Governor Al-Rasheed Sakalahul, Chair of the Crisis Committee. She was brought the following day to Headquarters 1st Marine Brigade in Tabiawan, Isabela City at around 0900H. Later, BGEN. Rustico Guerrero, Commanding General of the 1st Brigade, led Ms. Mendoza and her group composed of Esperancita Hupida, Father Calvo and others to the Headquarters, Naval Forces Western Mindanao in Zamboanga City before 1200H. The party was met by the Philippine Marine Corps Commandant MGEN Ben Dolorfino.

Along with five other people, including her colleague Esperancita Hupida, Mendoza was abducted on Sept. 15 near Isabela City in Basilan by suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf.