Relentless crimebuster and outstanding public servant awardee, Bohol police director Col. Dennis Palo Agustin, has commended his men for stirring up drug pushers' hornet's nest which has resulted to dramatic arrests of more than 35 drug suspects within a 30-day period (July 1 to August 1, 2014), a law enforcement feat considered as “record-breaking and all-time high.” With this rate, the Bohol PNP command is rewriting history here. Earlier, Agustin has vowed to help Gov. Edgar M. Chatto achieve the latter's vision of making Bohol the country's first drug-free province, that is if Bohol officials would not weaken their support to police operations. Averaging from one to two successful anti-illegal drug operations everyday, Bohol police forces have embraced a more effective method of quelling the proliferation of the evil substance: a combination of buy-bust and search warrant application.

The enhanced method, sans technical sabotage by the judicial justice system in Bohol, would make it impossible for drug suspects to post bail and resume their illegal drug operation again. “Gagawin naming ang lahat naming makakaya sa Bohol PNP para magkaroon ng katahimikan at kaayosan ang pamumuhay ng mga kababayan natin sa Bohol,” Agustin said in an interview. “Nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat na mga chiefs of police na nagsusumikap para mahinto ang illegal na druga sa kanilang mga area of responsibility,” Agustin said. The police director has warned that illegal drugs would destroy the peace and order of Bohol as drug addicts have been tagged as behind the rising incidents of heinous crimes. The intensive campaign of the police against illegal drugs here had cost the lives of two police chiefs –Ubay police chief Major George Caña who was killed in an ambush in Talibon last June 7 and Danao police chief Senior Police Officer 1 Noel Romagos who was shot to death by a drug suspect.

Since appointed police director in Bohol by Gov. Chatto August last year, Agustin has been working round the clock in pursuing those behind the illegal drug operations in the province. For a year, most anti-drug raids in Bohol were conducted by the combined forces of Provincial Public Safety Company and SWAT and Provincial Intelligence Board (PIB) who extend assistance to town police chiefs. During those months, nearly 170 anti-illegal drug operations had been conducted, making Bohol as the No. 1 province in Central Visayas with the most number of anti-drug raids which have resulted to confiscation of shabu worth almost P10 million. But starting July this year, Agustin changed gear and introduced a lethal method of arresting drug pushers – that is the combination of buy-bust and search warrant. police director has also ordered all chiefs of police in all Bohol towns to intensify their own anti-drug operations using their own resources. “Kailangan magtrabaho ang bawat police lalo na ang mga chief of police,” Agustin said. “Lahat na mga chief of police ay may marching order na gawin ang dapat gawin.” Asked whether a negligent police chief would be relieved from his/her post if he/she fails to conduct aggressive anti-drug operations, Agustin said the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) would look into this option. However, a police insider has told the Post that at least three police chiefs have been removed from their post for not acting on the illegal drug problem in their areas of concern.

Meanwhile, the BPPO is also policing its own ranks by conducting unannounced drug tests in various police station. Police Supt. Joie Pacito Yape Jr, BPPO police community relations and public information officer, said that the Bohol PNP command would conduct random drug test to all police personnel in Bohol anytime of the week, month or year. “Our police officers should serve as models. The BPPO, under Col. Agustin, would never tolerate any police officer who would sleep with the enemy,” Yape said. Yape also called on town mayors and the rest of local government officials to hold a dialogue with their police station members in order to resolve any difficulty faced by the law enforcers in solving the illegal drug menace. (The Post will publish next week the list of suspects arrested by the police during the 30-day period).

NEARLY P10 MILLION STREET VALUE

 At a provincial peace and order council (PPOC) meeting, police have said that illegal drugs is a multi-million-peso business netting P9,621,484 since August 15, 2014 until last week of July 2014, according to a BPPO report presented by PPSC/SWAT head PSupt Jeffrey Caballes to Gov. Edgar Chatto.  During the period, the police were able to document some and confiscated a total of 802.34 grams of what is believed to be shabu and 139.75 grams of marijuana following the conduct of 161 operations, the report said.  During the month of June, PNP arrested 31 suspects in the possession of prohibited substances, who are facing 35 cases filed in court following 18 operations.  Police recorded a total of 72 test-buys and surveillance during the second quarter of the year,higher than 24 conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). It scored a total of 31 test-buys and surveillance than PDEA's zero during the first quarter of the year.  PNP further conducted 52 buy-bust operations than only one (1) of the PDEA during the second quarter (April-June 2014).

Theft still tops in crime commission

 While police authorities have achieved in reducing crimes in the province, for the moment, thru the relentless efforts of police force under provincial director Col Dennis Agustin, theft still tops in crime commission from May 2014, with 40% among other felonies.  Crime volume during the month of June (2014) reached to a total of 657 (index and non-index), lower than May's of 728, according to the report of PSup Jeffrey Caballes who presented his report during the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting last week held at the governor's mansion presided over by Gov. Edgar Chatto.  Caballes report did not include the crime incidents during the month of July, however. The PPOC's monthly gathering was held in Catigbian town on June during the launching of missionary Heat caravan. Theft scores 152 during June, higher than 150 during May 2014 or 40% of the total of 657 crimes during the same period.  Physical injuries came in next with 127 (33%) of the total volume; robbery, 63 (16%); carnapping, 13 (3%); murder, 10 (3%); homicide, 9 (2%); rape, 7 (the same during Mayo, 7) (2%); and cattle rustling, 2 (1%), police said.

 PNP was able to arrest six (6) persons who are facing six (6) cases of illegal gambling filed in court during June, PNP said.  Illegal fishing, posted 46 persons arrested from 7 operations and seven (7) cases filed in court. The report did not mention who are these suspects, however.  Forty-one firearms were confiscated from 22 persons without license following  24 police operations during the same period.  Seven cases were filed in court against 46 suspects for alleged illegal fishing following the same number of operations conducted by the police force, the report said.  Based on what the police called “crime clock” that shows number of crimes committed in a certain hour of the day, the highest is 56 during the 5 in the afternoon and the lowest, 7, during 4 AM.(with reports from RIC V. OBEDENCIO)