Authorities uprooted and destroyed approximately 1,000 fully grown marijuana plants during a joint eradication operation conducted in a remote and disputed boundary area between Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato on March 28, 2026.
The operation, carried out from 1:20 PM to 2:26 PM, was led by operatives of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP DEG) Special Operations Unit 12 under the leadership of PBGEN Elmer E. Ragay. The team worked in close coordination with multiple law enforcement units, including the 1205th Regional Mobile Force Battalion 12, Tampakan Municipal Police Station, Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 12, Regional Intelligence Division 12, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office 12.
The eradication took place in the mountainous boundary of Bolol Lomut in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, and Sitio Bongsbang in Barangay Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato—an area known for its difficult terrain and history of illicit crop cultivation.
According to reports, the operating units discovered a marijuana plantation spanning an estimated 1,000 square meters. A total of 1,000 marijuana plants, already fully grown and ready for harvest, were uprooted and subsequently destroyed on-site. Authorities placed the estimated standard drug price of the seized plants at ₱200,000.
Despite the successful eradication, no individuals were apprehended during the operation. Law enforcement officials believe that the cultivators may have fled the area prior to the arrival of authorities, a common occurrence in operations conducted in remote plantation sites.
In a statement, Ragay commended the operatives for their coordinated efforts and reiterated the agency’s commitment to intensifying the campaign against illegal drugs. He also urged personnel to continue intelligence-gathering efforts to identify and hold accountable those responsible for cultivating marijuana in the area.
“We recognize the dedication of our operatives in carrying out these high-risk operations. We will persist in tracking down the individuals behind these illegal activities and ensure they are brought to justice,” Ragay said.
Authorities emphasized that marijuana eradication operations remain a critical component of the government’s broader anti-drug campaign, particularly in upland and hard-to-reach areas in Mindanao where illegal cultivation persists.
Further investigation and monitoring operations are ongoing to prevent the re-establishment of marijuana plantations in the area.