12 arrested in relentless anti-drug drive

The determined campaign of police operatives to clean up the streets of illegal drugs has resulted in the arrest of twelve drug peddlers last week from Tagbilaran City and in four other towns.

In Tubigon, one Diosdado Mata Jr., 37, was collared during a buy-bust operation by a joint team of the Provincial Anti Illegal Drugs Operation Task Force (PAIDOTF) and the Tubigon PNP. Mata was found in possession of 2 sachets of suspected shabu (metamphetamine hydrochloride) and the P500 bill which was used as marked money by the operatives’ poseur-buyer. Also seized from the suspect were a cellphone, aluminium tinfoils and a motorcycle.

In the city, probably one of the biggest hauls by police last week, was the capture of a drug pusher who had previously eluded SWAT operatives during a raid at his residence in Sitio Lanao, Barangay Dao, last year.

This time, Filbert Ingles, 36, was captured in a raid at his residence by the City Anti Illegal Drugs Operation Task Force (CAIDOTF). The suspected bigtime drug peddler was found in possession of 18 sachets in different sizes containing shabu weighing 6.76 grams, with an estimated street value of over P80,000.

The raid was conducted by virtue of two Search Warrants issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Suceso Arcamo.

Moreover, the PAIDOTF also recovered three sachets containing shabu from a certain Joan Baguio, of legal age, resident of barangay Ilihan, Inabanga town during its service of an arrest warrant to the suspect who was charged of illegal possession of firearms and grave threat.

Meanwhile,.the same team in cooperation with the Loay local police station under Police Inspector Jovy Tampus, simultaneously raided two residences of suspected drug peddlers last Wednesday.

The first raid, which started around six o'clock in the evening, was conducted at the residence of certain Romeo Egagamao, alias “Romy”, 64 years old, married and a resident of Brgy. Botoc Occidental Loay town.

Seized were one piece small transparent sachet containing white crystalline granules believed to be shabu, one big size transparent sachet believed to be containing shabu residue, three pieces small transparent sachets containing white crystalline granules believed to be shabu having a market value of three thousand pesos (3,000.00 Php), one box container of the three small sachets, one match box containing cellophane strips , one rolled tin foil, one piece improvised sealer, one unit electronic weighing scale put inside the box with cellophane strips, two packs of cellophane big and small, and three  pieces lighters. I

The inventory was conducted at the residence of Egagamao and was witnessed by media-man Andy Nalzaro, Michael Belano as DOJ representative, Barangay Officials Lito Guarte and Leonila Putian.

The same raiding team immediately proceeded to the residence of the next target which was identified as certain Jehel Corpus Olivar, 39 years old, single and a resident of Poblacion Ibabao of Loay town.

The suspect was not around when the raiding team entered his residence. However, the search warrant was served even without the presence of the subject and was witnessed by media-man Nalzaro, DOJ representative Belano and Barangay Officials Carmelito G. Celron and Nilio Mission.

Seized in the residence of Olivar included three pieces small transparent sachets containing white crystalline substance believe to be shabu having a market value of one thousand five hundred pesos, three pieces empty small transparent sachets believed to be containing with shabu residue, three pieces tin foil strips, one piece improvised tooter, one piece straw utilized as improvised funnel, two pieces disposable lighters, and one pack transparent cellophane used in re-packing shabu.

Both raids were armed with search warrants issued by Hon. Dionisio Calibo Jr., Executive Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 59 basing in Loay.

Meanwhile, the City Monitoring Task Force, during a routinary patrol and with the help of the City PNP, were able to apprehend one Tiburcio Tasic, 19, a native of Catigbian town, who was found in possession of the illegal substance shabu.

The arresting task force members deemed Tasic suspicious-looking when they encountered him at an unlit road just meters away from the Integrated Bus Terminal in Barangay Dao. When a body search was conducted, the suspect allegedly threw away a sachet containing shabu which the arresting team later recovered.

In another successful drug sting by elements of the PAIDOTF in cooperation with Buenavista local police station under Police Inspector Alvin Llamedo, a big time drug suspect was cornered in a buy-bust operation conducted three o'clock in the morning last Friday in barangay Honan, Buenavista town.

The suspect was identified as certain Teodulo Francisco, of legal age, resident of barangay Banakon, Getafe town. Police posting as poseur buyer was able to purchase from Francisco two sachets believed to be shabu. However, in a frisking operation conducted after the arrest, police team recovered another 146 sachets believed to contain shabu.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Public Safety Company and SWAT under Police Superintendent Nicomedes Olaivar, Jr. also collared another drug peddler operating in the city during  a buy-bust operation conducted past 12 midnight yesterday along Pamaong extension, in Cogon district, this city.

The suspect was identified as a certain Percy Amisola, 34 years old, single, resident of Belderol Street, Cogon district, this city.

PNP's poseur buyer was able to purchase from Amisola a sachet believed to contain shabu worth P1,000. Police said Amisola initially tried to resist the arrest. He will be facing charges in court for violating Section 5 (selling shabu) Article II of RA 9165. Amisola is now temporarily detained at Camp Dagohoy lock-up jail.

On Saturday, the PAIDOTF again conducted successful operations against two known drug peddlers in Inabanga town.

In the residence of one Arnulfo Mellorida, in Barangay Badiang, operatives conducted a raid based on a search warrant issued by RTC Executive Judge Arcamo, recovering 2 sachets of suspected shabu worth P500 each. However, the suspect was able to elude the raiding team, escaping just in time for the police to break into the residence.

The team proceeded to raid another suspected drug peddler in the same barangay identified as one Roberto Logroño where 3 sachets containing suspected shabu granules with an estimated value of P3,500 each and 4 sachets worth P400 each were seized by police. Also recovered in the possession of the suspect were P11,000 cash and calibre-38 revolver with live ammunition.

Another successful anti-illegal drug operation was conducted by Bohol District Jail (BDJ) warden Richard Laure and several of his trusted personnel targeting an alleged “drug ring” inside the detention facility.

Inmates at Cell No. 4 were again caught in possession of a huge quantity of shabu, the second time within a month, the street value of which estimated at P300,000. According to Laure, inmates in said cell block will be charged with illegal possession of the addictive substance.

Meanwhile, during the same jail inspection, jailers likewise took possession of some 22 sachets of shabu, in different sizes, from inmate Enrico Peticio, a detainee facing a drug related case.

The total haul at the BDJ weighed 18.7 grams which police said is a major blow to illegal drug peddling activities not only inside the jail, but also in Tagbilaran City and neighboring towns.