College students caught “repacking” marijuana

Two college students were arrested while an estimated 10 kilos of marijuana were seized by authorities in Sitio Nasipit, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City yesterday morning.

Tristan Kieth Lavilla, 25, of Negros Occidental, and Arnold Jhonne Campañon, 18, of Centro, Mandaue City were handcuffed after they were allegedly caught in the act of repacking the P70,000 worth of marijuana in a vacant lot.

Senior Inspector Arieza Otida, Talamban Police Station chief, said they received information about the two men repacking marijuana so they immediately responded.

“According sa info kay nag-repack ni sila pero dugay na ni nga information from the residents dinhi…. Nasakpan gyud nato nga nagrepack,” he said.

Otida added that there were two others but unfortunately they were able to escape.

Lavilla and Campañon told the media that they got the bundle of marijuana from somebody in Balamban, a midwest Cebu where marijuana plantations continue to exist.

“Gikan ni sa Balamban. Gihatod ra man na diri og van,” said Lavilla.

The two, however, denied they were selling marijuana, claiming what they were repacking were for their personal consumption.

“Nagbahig-bahig mi ngari kay para sa among mga kauban, nagpadala man sila. Pero wa mi namaligya. Para amo ra ning konsumo,” said Lavilla.

He admitted that he has been using marijuana for a long time to cure his anxiety and also to relieve stress, while Campañon said he has been using marijuana for five years now for his asthma.

Otida, though, did not believe that the 10 kilos of marijuana were for the suspects’ personal consumption only.

“Makita gyud nato nga ang ilang giingon nga konsumo nila dili gyud kunsumo tungod gidaghanon. Naa gyuy namalit aring dapita. The fact nga nag-repack, meaning for disposal ni siya. Wala nato gi-discount ang posibilidad nga ibaligya ni siya,” he said.

In a separate interview, Talamban Barangay Captain Dario Arcilla said the suspects were targeting students as customers. Barangay officials received the information from residents who noticed a lot of students going to the area especially at night.

“Mga estudyante gyud siguroy mga target ani nila kay daghan man diri magstandby nga mga batan-on. Naa mi info nga daghag magtapok diri ilabi na og Sabado ug Dominggo,” he said.

“Daghang mga estudyante diri magtapok dapita. Usahay gani mga tanod nato magresponde diri kay ang mga residente magreklamo kay magabii saba kaayo,” he added.

Campañon and Lavilla maintained the marijuana, which is referred to as “weed” in other countries, was for their own use, and wished that like western countries the Philippines would likewise legalize its use, especially for medicinal purposes.

“We do not regret doing what we did. Our only regret is getting caught,” said Lavilla. He and Campañon were both college students.

Otida said they would examine the footage of the nearby CCTV camera in tracing the van that transported the marijuana to the vacant lot.