Like silent water that runs deep, Provincial Police Director Col. Dennis Palo Agustin knows no Valentine's Day when it comes to suppressing criminalities in Bohol. Suspected high-profile criminals in Bohol spent their Valentine's Day inside the PNP jail after police authorities, on orders of Col. Agustin, revved up campaigns against prohibited drugs, loose firearms, and illegal number games which have resulted to the arrest of one of Bohol's most wanted persons and suspected big-time drug traders. The illegal drugs seized in the city and in Talibon town have an estimated combined street value of P2.05 million, the biggest haul so far during Agustin's leadership. A day before Valentine's Day, police raided the house of barangay councilor Glen Torrenueva Ombrosa at Barangay Concepcion, Danao town, 80 kilometers from the capital city of Tagbilaran, and confiscated from his possession several high-powered firearms, including one Colt M16 rifle and five magazines of M16; one m79-grenade launcher and several ammunitions; one cal. 45 Remington pistol and several live bullets; and 119 live ammunitions for 5.56 mm gun.

The raiding police team, led by Bohol SWAT head Police Senior Inspector Roland Desiree Lavisto, was armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 52 Judge Marivic Trabajo-Daray, in relation to Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms. On Valentine's Day, the same police team led by Lavisto tracked and arrested Bohol's No. 2 most wanted person Christopher P. Buslon, a resident of Poblacion, Pilar, Bohol. “(Buslon) has a pending warrant of arrest for the crime of murder docketed under CC-02-INV-13F-00424 RTC branch 51 Carmen, Bohol,” Lavisto said. Buslon was arrested while staying inside the residence of spouses Isidra and Cristino Villaber of Barangay Pandan, Tubigon, Bohol. Still on the day of the hearts, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bohol, led by Police Chief Inspector Carlos Lictag, raided the house of Sherwin L. Bautista located at Purok 3, Tiptip, Tagbilaran City and seized from him two short firearms and several live bullets, three big packs containing crystalline substance believed to be shabu, several drug paraphernalia, “swertres” tally sheets, and P4,500 cash. Also arrested was Alma Paculba Manlangit, believed to be Bautista's girlfriend who was at the suspect's house when the police served the search warrant issued by RTC Branch 47 Executive Judge Suceso Arcamo.

In September 2011 Bautista was also arrested in Loon town in relation to his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in Bohol. Bautista, then represented by lawyer Alexander “Aleckoy” Lim and was backed by star witness DYRD reporter Willie Maestrado (now Bool councilor) who testified against the police and the government, was later acquitted by the court due to the so-called “technicalities” in the police operation. The arrest of Bautista, who used to be an “asset” of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), became the center point of an internal riff between the PDEA and the Bohol provincial police command. Earlier this year the PDEA decided to close its doors in Bohol and its agents returned to Cebu office as their operation base.

BAUTISTA OFF THE HOOK AGAIN?

The arrest of Bautista may be the crown jewel of law enforcement as lawmen were longing for the day to place behind bars for violating a non-bailable crime. Said to be the biggest drug supplier in Bohol, Bautista proved to be as slippery as ever when he escaped prosecution after he was arrested in a celebrated buy-bust operations in Loon town. Moneyed apparently due to drug proceeds, he managed to escape detention when his lawyer succeeded in placing him under hospital arrest. From there, he eventually was cleared of drug charges on a technicality after his lawyer invoked lapses in the procedure of arresting him during the buy-bust. With his latest arrest, the grapevine is rife with talks that the elusive Bautista will eventually put one over his captors after it was learned that the huge volume of drugs seized in his possession were not the subject of the search warrant. This means, only the guns were covered by the search warrant issued by Executive Judge Suseso Arcamo. Meanwhile, later in the night of Valentine's Day, Talibon police team led by Police Senior Inspector Eduard Sanchez served a search warrant against Giovani Cuizon, Bobot Villarino, and Brendo Feniza, all residents of Talibon town, 98 kilometers from Bohol's capital city. Seized from the suspects were three short firearms of cal. 45, 38 and 9mm; two big plastic packs containing crystalline substance believed to be shabu; drug paraphernalia, and P34,252 cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade. The above four operations were considered the biggest and most aggressive so far, conducted in less than 48 hours, in the history of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) under Col. Agustin, who was appointed by Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto to lead BPPO after the stint of former BPPO director Col. Constantino Paul Barrot in August last year.

COL. AGUSTIN SILENT ANTI-CRIME BUSTER

Described as a silent operator, Agustin stirred a hornets' nest among criminal elements who during the time of previous provincial directors were treated like sacred cows. Like the “untouchables” that they are, they ran roughshod with the law but with Agustin at the PNP helm , these criminal gangs can run, but they cannot hide”. It may be recalled that when Agustin upon assumption as Bohol provincial police chief, he issued a public statement warning Bohol officials that the illegal drug problem in the province is already alarming, and he called on the public and local authorities to rally behind the police in the renewed campaign against illegal drugs. “The problem on illegal drugs is threatening the stability of our society and our families,” Agustin said in an interview. “We have to double our efforts in fighting against drugs.” Agustin has also vowed to clean up the ranks of the police, some members of whom are linked to illegal drugs. Chatto, for his part, has assured Agustin that the provincial government has a “very good network of intelligence” support, which will serve as a backbone in the tracking and arrest of suspected criminals in Bohol.

POLICE OPERATION IN DANAO TOWN

Composing the police team that swooped down on the residence of Glen Ombraso were Police Senior Inspector Roland Desiree DS Lavisto (SWAT chief), SPO1 Eusebio Quisora Hoyle, PO2 Librando Nioda Celis, PO3 Giuseppe Usman Remolador, PO3 Richard Acaylar Timbal, PO3 Gregorio Busano Aton, PO2 Noel Aparri Lopos, PO2 Nelson Descallar Lodripas, PO2 Enrico Desabelle Tayactac, and PO1 Gerardo Ngoa Turan. Assisting Bohol's SWAT were police officers from the Danao Police Station composed of SPO1 Noel Estorgio Romagos, PO2 Eric B. Binangbang, PO2 Julius Trazo Buyan, PO3 Felix T. Saldivar Jr., and PO1 Jay Anthony C. Lansang. Detailed seized items from Ombrosa were the following: One (1) Colt M16 rifle (defaced serial No.); two (2) pcs long steel magazine ofm-16 rifle; one (1) pc long plastic magazine for m-16 rifle; three (3) pcs short steel magazine for m-16 rifle; one (1) unit m79-grenadelauncher; two (2) pcs ammo of m-79; one (1) ammo pouch; one (1) rifle bag; one hundred nineteen (119) live ammos 5.56 mm; one (1) cal. 45 pistol Remington; one (1) magazine for cal. 45; eleven (11) pcs live ammos of cal. 45; three (3) empty shells of cal. 45; and four (4) pcs live ammos cal. 38.

END OF THE ROAD FOR CHRISTOPHER BUSLON

The fall of Buslon, one of Bohol's most wanted persons, was the handiwork of PSI Lavisto; SPO1 Eusebio Quisora Hoyle; PO2 Librando Nioda Celis; PO3 Giuseppe Usman Remolador; PO3 Richard Acaylar Timbal; PO3 Gregorio Busano Aton; PO2 Noel Aparri Lopos; PO2 Nelson Descallar Lodripas; PO2 Enrico Desabelle Tayactac; and PO1 Gerardo Ngoa Turan.

SECOND ARREST OF BAUTISTA

Until the day Bautista was arrested on Feb. 14, police operatives had put him under surveillance for several days. Composing the police team were Bohol Criminal Investigation Detection Team (BCIDT) led by Police Chief Inspector Carlos Budong Lictag, with SPO2 Renato I Garcia and SPO1 Herold E Bihag. Backing up the CIDG were members of the Bohol Police Provincial Office-Provincial Intel Branch (BPPO-PIB), including PSI Roland Desiree Lavisto, PO3 Richard A. Timbal and PO2 Enrico D.Tayactac. Bautista's arrest was also supported by City PNP chief Police Superintendent Jovito B. Atanacio and SPO3 Yolanda Bagotchay.

Based on the official police report, the detailed items seized from the residence of Bautista were the following: One (1) unit caliber .45 pistol “NORINCO” with serial number BG01421; One (1) unit cal .22 Magnum revolver “BLACK WIDOW”; three (3) pcs magazine for caliber .45 pistol; Two (2) pcs long magazine for caliber 5.56mm Armalite Rifle; one (1) pc holster color black; forty (40) rounds live amos for caliber 5.56mm Armalite Rifle; Twenty (20) rounds live ammos for caliber .45 pistol; fifteen (15) rounds for caliber 9mm; eight (8) rounds for shot gun twelve gauge cartridge; four (4) rounds live ammos for caliber .22 “RIM FIRE”;

Three (3) big pack containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu; seven (7) pcs. large sachet containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu; one (1) pc small sachet containing white crystalline substance believed to be shabu; One (1) pc improvised bamboo clip; three (3) pcs. improvised tooter “tin foil”; six (6) pcs crumpled tin foils; five (5) pcs. disposable lighters; three (3) pcs scissors; Two (2) pcs digital weighing scales; One (1) pc cellophane sealer; One (1) bundle tally sheets containing number combinations with corresponding money bets dated February 13, 2014; one (1) bundle tally sheets containing number combinations with corresponding money bets dated February 13, 2014; and cash money bets amounting to P4,500.