Authorities confiscated a total of P19 million worth of marijuana from eight suspects, including an Army reservist, during separate police checkpoints in Mountain Province Saturday night.

Brigadier General R’win Pagkalinawan, Cordillera regional police director, said they received information illegal drugs are being transported coming from Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga.

Pagkalinawan said police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives conducted checkpoint around 9:30 pm at Sitio Pak-kil, Lower Caluttit, Bontoc.

Arrested were Joseph Petilona, 35, an Army reservist who was also carrying a loaded 9mm pistol and four others, including a seven-year old minor.

Seized from the suspects were around 134,000 grams with an estimated value of P16, 080, 000

During the second checkpoint around 11 pm along the national road at Sitio Lagcandeo, Barangay Bontoc Ili, authorities were able to flag down three more suspects and confiscated around 27.570 kilos of dried marijuana bricks amounting to P P3, 308, 400.

The arrested suspects will face charges for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 while the reservists will face additional charges for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. Ella Dionisio/DMS