Marijuana Behind the Scenes

Marijuana is a substance that alters a person’s mood and can induce calmness. It is a type of illegal drug or a dangerous drug that is commonly found and used illegally in the Philippines. Since the Duterte administration took over, the amount of drug related personnel roaming freely have decreased. Here in Baguio, there had been 319 arrests made by the Baguio’s Finest according to the records of Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) since July 2016. Still, marijuana users and sellers are active around Baguio City.

According to the Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, marijuana sellers are considered as ‘pushers’. As defined by this RA, a pusher is “any person who sells, trades, administers, dispenses, delivers or gives away to another, on any terms whatsoever, or distributes, dispatches in transit or transports dangerous drugs or who acts as a broker in any of such transactions”. Users, on the other hand, are considered as those who are in possession of the dangerous drug as stated in RA 9165. Furthermore, sellers are punishable by a minimum of 12 years and one day and a fine ranging from Php 100,000 to Php 500,000. Marijuana users are punishable by a minimum of 12 years and one day and a fine ranging from Php 300,000 to Php 400,000.

Police Superintendent Armando Gapuz of Public Connection and Relations Unit (PCRU) said that the police in Baguio are with Duterte in his campaign against drugs; Oplan Tokhang and Taphang are implemented by the Baguio Police. “Ever since Duterte assumed presidency… tuloy tuloy ang adbokasiya natin laban sa drugs, through Ophang and Taphang” (Ever since Duterte assumed prsidency… aour advocacy against drugs continues, through Ophng and Taphang) Gapuz proudly stated. According to Gapuz, Project Double Barrel or “Oplan Tokhang” is a practical and aggressive means of accelerating the drive against illegal drugs. Tokhang is a form of combined Bisaya words “toktok” and “hangyo” which means to knock and request respectively. This involves the conduct of house-to- house visitations to persuade suspected illegal drug personalities to stop their illegal activities. “Taphang”, on the other hand, simply means for people to mind their own business.

Since the start of Duterte Administration, drug evidence confiscated amounted to a total of Php 2,839,889 worth of both shabu and marijuana. Marijuana alone had a total of Php 60,869. According to the records of DEU, there had been 21 tokhang operations successfully conducted by the Baguio Police. Among the operations of the police, buy bust had the most number of success with 158 followed by police response with 25.

However, the anti-drug campaign in Baguio is not limited to the actions of the police. Barangay officials have to also do their part. In Gibraltar, Brgy. Captain Edward Aclopen said that he was given 7 names, which he did not disclose, of probable drug related suspects. “Mayroon akong listahan na binigay ng PDEA” (I have a list given by PDEA) Aclopen stated calmly. He and his barangay officials confronted these names on the list. When these people were confronted, they said that they will stop and surrender all their marijuana and drug related paraphernalia. “Sabi nila, titigil naman na raw sila at magsusurrender” (They said they will stop and surrender) Aclopen said.

According to the records of DEU, there are four barangays which are not affected, 93, which are drug cleared, six, which are moderately affected, and 25, which was re-affected when Oplan Tokhang was suspended last year from January 2017 to March 2017. “We can not say that Baguio City is drug free, there are some barangays that are free but not all”, said SPO1 Irvin Ludaes of DEU when asked about the cleanliness of Baguio of illegal drugs.

Drug related people in Baguio were also cooperative in Duterte’s campaign against drugs as evidenced by the number of drug related personnel surrendered, amounting to 2,395, according to the records of DEU. Brynel Ventura, a surrendered drug user, said he surrendered and stopped using the substance because he did not want to rot in prison. “Sumuko nalang ako at hindi umulit kesa mabulok pa sa kulungan” (I surrendered and quit instead of rotting in prison) Ventura said. When asked about the reason he involved himself with the substance, Ventura laughingly stated as he was reminiscing, “Easy money kasi dati yan atsaka nakaka kalma ng utak” (Its quick cash and calms the mind). Then when asked regarding how he stopped it, his reply was “Nag-gym nalang ako tsaka pumasok na sa school dati kasi sa bahay lang ako gawa ng tamad na tamad akong kumilos pagtapos gumamit” (I went to the gym and attended class because I was very lazy before every after using the substance).

“But some of these surrendered persons ay matitigas ang ulo” (But some of these surrendered person wont budge) said Ludaes. There are 59 previously surrendered but then arrested drug related people due to their re-involvement with drugs. Ludaes said that some cannot resist the temptation and some grabbed the opportunity when PNP suspended tokhang. “Yung iba hindi mapigilan, yung iba gumamit ulit nung tumigil yung tokhang” (Some can’t be stopped, and the others returned when tokhang stopped).

Paul, one of the primary drug user and sellers in Baguio, said that selling and using Marijuana is an easy way to support himself since he is a college dropout from one of the universities in the city and a current Call Center agent. “Madali lang kasi kumita sa pagbebenta ng Marijuana” (It’s easy to earn selling Marijuana). When he was asked why he uses it, his answer was that it became a routine everyday. “Pagkagising gamit na, bago kumain kasi mapapadami ka ng kain, tsaka isang hit muna bago pumasok para masaya.” (When I wake up I use before eating because it gives me apetite and I use it once before going to work for enjoyment). He also said that selling the substance is relatively easier than looking for a source to buy it from because he has to contact a lot of other sellers to find out who their source is and it is dangerous since some of his previous sources are now arrested and he has no idea who will answer their personal cell phone. “Mas mahirap makahanap kasi delikado na, yung ibang pinagbibilhan dati nakulong na tapos yung iba hirap narin makahanap” (It’s more difficult to look because some are arrested and others also have a hard time looking).

One particular source of Paul, Violet, an active marijuana user and seller, said that she has stable sources of marijuana; two sources, one from Kalinga and one from Cabanatuan. “Mayroon sa Cabanatuan at Kalinga” (There are in Cabanatuan and Kalinga). Violet also said that the price of Marijuana have dramatically increased. “Yung dati mong 300, ngayon 1,500 na” (Your 300 then is 1,500 now) Violet added.

Violet’s source in Cabanatuan, Lord, a store owner, said that marijuana is hard to get and grow nowadays but he has connections and techniques as to how he is able to grow and moderately acquire supply of the substance. “May mga kakilala kasi ako” (I know people) he said very relaxed. Lord said that his house was never suspected as a place of drugs but he grows some marijuana himself, all he needs is a lamp and a pot. His place has an attic where he grows the marijuana plants.

When he was asked as to who are the people he knows, he said that some of his personal friends have big names and these names have ties with the police. “Mga malalaking pangalan at may kapit yung iba” (They have big names and connections). However, he refused to name these people due to his fear for his life. He also said “may narinig ako na sa police daw kumukuha yung iba”  (I heard some get from the police) when asked about their ties.

In a house in Balbalan, Kalinga, Violet’s source refused to reveal his name, but said that he grows the substances himself. But when he was asked as to how can he freely grow the substance, his answer was “patago kasi basta wag lang papahuli at aalamin mo kung sino ang pagkakatiwalaan mong bebentahan mo” (You keep it and know who you trust and sell to).

An active user, by the name of Boss, a 4th year student of a university in the city said that he uses marijuana to pass time and enjoy his surroundings. When asked why he uses the substance, “Ang saya kasi tsaka palipas oras” (It’s fun and to pass time) Boss stated with a smile. When asked about his sources, he said that in Baguio, artists are the most common sources but scarce and it is easier to get from his cousins in Nueva Vizcaya. “Sa artists nakakakuha pero mas madali kumuha sa mga kupal kong pinsan sa amin sa baba” (Artists are a vibale source, but getting from my nasty cousins is easier). When asked if whether he sells the substance, his answer was “ Hindi pero namimigay ako sa mga kaibigan ko kaya kasama ko silang nagsesesyon” (No but I give some to my friends or even invite them during pot sessions).

When Violet was asked about how she brings the substance from her sources to Baguio, her answer was a simple “nilalagay ko lang sa bag tapos ibabyahe ko na sa van” (I just put it in my bag and travel in a public van). Similar to Boss when he was asked the same question, his answer was “ibabag ko lang tapos sakay na ng bus”.“Hindi naman nila chinecheck yung bag mo eh, ang madalas lang nilang ibawal mga alagang hayop” (They do not check your bag, they usually only don’t allow pets) Boss stated in a know it all tone.

Violet rides the van near burnham in rizal park while Boss either takes the van that arrives at Slaughterhouse or the Victory Liner bus depending on where he comes from.

When Victory Liner bus conductor, Fidel A. Ramos, was asked whether they are aware of what the carriage of their passengers are, his answer was “not really” followed by a pause then he continued “bawal ang mga pets… pero hindi talaga kami nag-checheck ng bag kasi ginagawa nang mga gwardya iyon” (Pets are not allowed but we don’t actually check their bags because the guard already does that).

According to Mayo Fran, a security guard of Victory Liner Cubao, they are required to check the carriage of the passengers upon entering the bus station. “Required kami sir tingnan yung mga gamit” (We are required to check their carriage), Fran seriously stated. When asked about what to do with passengers who are caught carrying marijuana, his answer was “ang sa amin sir hinuhuli namin, ayaw kasi nung boss naming masangkot sa mga ganyan kaya may pulis din palagi dito” (We catch them because our boss doesn’t want to get involved in those things, that’s why there are usually police here). When asked if every passenger has their carriage checked, his answer was “hindi sir eh, meron kasing mga pasahero na dumadaan sa daanan na nung bus at sa likod” (Not really because some passengers enter from the back, where the vehicles enter) while scratching his head. “Daanan ng bus” pertains to the exit of buses besides the passenger’s entrance located at the front and the “likod” pertains to the parking space of the vehicles and entering busses ready to drop off passengers.

According to Gapuz, there is no actual law or ordinance that requires bus liners and express vans in Baguio to regulate the contents of the carriage of their passengers. It is in their company policies on whether they regulate or not. “Sila na ang bahala dun, yung mga guard nagchecheck” (It’s their obligation, the guards do the checking). However, there was once an order from the PNP to have a guard dog in bus stations such as in Victory Liner in Engineer’s Hill but was stopped after the suspension of Oplan Tokhang. “May mga aso noon kaso nawala nung sinuspend yung tokhang” (There were dogs there, but disappeared when tokhang was suspended) Gapuz said.

When asked how they manage to distribute marijuana among their buyers, each of them had different answers. Paul said that he personally goes to his buyer’s location carrying the marijuana in his bag and casually travelling in Baguio as if nothing is happening. “Pinupuntahan ko sila tapos chill lang habang nasa labas” (I go to them directly and I’m clam when outside) Paul said in a mellow tone. Violet said that they meet in a designated location and that she is always careful about guard dogs because they are trained to track and sniff the substance. “Meet up lang tapos ingat sa mga bantay haha… kasi they can sniff the shit out of these” (I meet up with them and be cautious of guard dogs, they can smell the shit out of these) Violet laughingly answered. Boss answered, “sa school ko lang binibigay boss, iba ibang paraan… kamayan, sa CR, okaya diretso wala namang papansin” (I give it inside the school campus in different ways, through handshake, in the CR, or directly give it to them because no one would notice).

When Ludaes was asked regarding their strategies when apprehending suspects involving drugs in the open (the outside), he said, “there are many ways”. One of the ways is chance glancing at a person’s eye whether it is pinkish red or not, “pag nag MJ ka kasi namumula ang mata mo” (Your eyes becomes red due to Marijuana) Ludaes pointed out. Another way is evaluating a person’s behavior, “pagka maingat masyado yan o kaya patingin tingin sa pulis tapos iwas, may kasalanan yan pag ganyan” (When the person is extremely cautious or having trouble looking us in the eye, that person’s guilty of something) he said then laughed.

Ludaes also said that it is “actually hard to determine drug carrying people in Baguio City, their technique is to lay low and they are really careful on trusting.” “Yung mga nahuhuli namin sa buy bust ay yung mga sinusumbong ng mga tao at mga kilalang gumagamit talaga” (The ones we caught during buy busts are the ones suspected by the people and the known users) Ludaes added.

Paul, Violet, and Boss are just a few of the active drug-involved people in Baguio City. Why they use marijuana has a personal benefit to each of them, from entertainment to source of living. Why they are never caught is simply their craft in keeping their dependence for marijuana alive and going. Exploiting loopholes like carrying the substance in trips from a province to another, while having the knowledge that there is no actual law that states passenger carriage must be monitored. Just as our sayings go, “when there’s a will, there’s a way”, for the three of them, there certainly is.

BY JAEGER DWAYNE TAMARAY