BANTAY, June 2 -- Local authorities on Tuesday announced the destruction of marijuana plants worth PHP4.8 million in the rugged highlands of Sugpon, Ilocos Sur, following a series of recent intensified eradication campaigns to safeguard communities.

In a statement, Col. Agosto Asuncion, director of the Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office, said 24,020 fully grown marijuana plants, covering an area of about 3,540 square meters across 10 plantation sites in Barangays Caaoayan and Licungan in Sugpon town, were seized and destroyed during the May 29-31 operations.

Authorities said no cultivator was arrested, and the landowner remains unidentified. Follow-up investigations and intelligence monitoring are ongoing to identify and apprehend ind...