Bohol police have seized over P7.761 million worth of shabu in different operations for which Camp Dagohoy under Sr. Supt. Dennis Agustin since August last year must have deserved a pat on the back. ov. Edgar Chatto still amplified his demand, though, for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to master the prosecution of drug cases to avoid the seeming public satisfaction of its operational performance dimmed by low conviction rate. Agustin reported to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) on Tuesday the confiscation of 657.77 grams of shabu amounting to P7,761,686.00 since August 15 last year or upon taking command of the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO).

The bulk of the total was recorded at 510.90 grams costing P6,028,620.00 as a result of 43 raids and buy-bust operations in February and March this year, according to Agustin in the PPOC regular monthly meeting led by Chatto at the Governor's Mansion. Illegal drug trade is indicative of other crimes like murder or violent bloodshed to happen anytime because most of those caught for shabu likewise yielded loose guns, including high-powered, and even live grenades. Seventy-one (71) barangays have been marked “serious” for illegal drugs, according to Camp Dagohoy, five of them in Inabanga, four in Buenavista and three in Tagbilaran City. Tagbilaran City has most number of barangays at nine which are “moderately-affected” by drugs, followed by Panglao with seven and Ubay, six. Ubay has most number of “slightly-affected” barangays at 23, followed by Talibon, 20, and Bilar, 19.

Rendered in powerpoint presentation, the BPPO chief's report did not mention the seizure of some 450 grams of shabu valued at P3.7million in a buy-bust-raid resulting in the arrest of former Batuan Vice Mayor Jaime Decasa in Tagbilaran City last month. Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) regional command swooped down on a boarding house in Poblacion 2 where Decasa, also an ex-communist rebel, stayed and nabbed three other drug suspects. Including the NBI finds from Decasa and company, the drug hauls in Bohol since Agustin's assumption as PNP provincial commander could sum up to P11.461 million. Agustin likewise reported the confiscation of 139.75 grams of marijuana. The BPPO report has yet to be updated to include the accomplishments for the first half of April. The PPOC commended the Bohol police under Agustin while the governor, who is himself the council chairman, reiterated his instruction on continuous serious specialized police training on how to build up strong drug cases. Agustin reported the filing of cases against 43 suspects who fell in separate anti-drug operations in February and March alone. (Ven C. Arigo)