Ignoring the order of provincial PNP director Col. Dennis Agustin who had urged drug pushers in Bohol to “surrender or die,” another high-profile, notorious drug lord here was killed during a shootout with police operatives Friday dawn in Ubay town. Romulo Caño, reportedly behind the series of summary killings in the second district of the province, finally met his end Friday, and social media sites are loaded with notes of jubilation over the death of a dreaded pusher-assassin, who used to be a car mechanic before he ventured into illegal drug trade. “Stop selling drugs and live a happy and meaningful life. Sell drugs and we will execute you like a dog,” said an angry Facebook user, in reaction to Caño's death.

In a Facebook group named Ubayanos Forever which has more than 8,000 members, netizens praised the PNP in Bohol and Cebu for a “job well done.” “Natapos nagyod ang imong role ning kalibutana. Pag reunion nalang mo didtos impyerno,” said Facebook member, Yuber Gozon Gumatay, in his posting. Known by Ubayanons as “Inday Bono,” Caño resisted when joint operatives of Regional Special Operation Group 7 (RSOG7), Regional Public Safety Batallion 7 (RPSB7) and Ubay Police Station led by PSupt. Rex Derilo conducted a simultaneous implementation of search warrants on Caño's two residences at Barangays Achila and Poblacion for Violation of R.A. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act. Col. Agustin told media that Caño was one of the masterminds in the ambush-slay of Major George Caña, Ubay police chief, who was brutally shot to death by drug pushers while the police chief, a passionate anti-drug crusader, was driving his car along a road in Talibon on June 7, 2014.

Following the killing of Caña, a grieving Bohol PNP director ordered a massive manhunt on the perpetrators resulting to a shootout with the police at a resort in Bien Unido town, in the morning of June 8, 2014. Six of the suspects, including dismissed policeman Owen Rosales who was one of top drug lords in Bohol, were killed in the shootout. According to an intelligence report, it was Inday Bono (Caño) who originally hatched the plan to kill Major Caña, and Rosales fulfilled Inday Bono's evil wishes. The same report indicated that the sister of Rosales' girlfriend was Caño's girlfriend, a romantic link that strengthened the two departed drug lords' business relationship. Early this year, joint operatives composed of CIDG (led by Police Chief Inspector Carlos Lictag), PPSC-SWAT (led by Police Chief Inspector Roland Lavisto) and Ubay Police Station (led by then Ubay chief of police George Salcedo Caña) arrested Inday Bono and his cohorts who were in possession of high-powered firearms and several packs of shabu.

Col. Agustin then declared that Inday Bono's arrest was his “opening salvo” for year 2014 that would be followed with massive anti-illegal drug crackdowns. For two months, Inday Bono stayed in jail, and the series of killings in the second district of Bohol dramatically stopped. But Bono was bailed out by his lawyer, and the series of killings resumed. PSupt. Joie Pacito Yape Jr., Bohol PPO information officer, then issued a statement lamenting over the justice system in Bohol where drug lords and drug pushers are allegedly enjoying seeming protection from courts and prosecutors' offices. Capt. Lavisto, who was almost killed when he arrested Inday Bono and his cohorts in January this year, had told media how sad he was over the release of Inday Bono despite the fact that stocks of high-powered guns and packs of shabu were confiscated from the possession of Caño.

WAR ON DRUGS

Romulo Caño, 31, was killed in a shootout with the police at his residence in Barangay Achile after being hit twice in the body. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. Romulo Cabañero was also wounded after resisting arrest. He was collared at a separate house owned by Caño in Barangay Poblacion. He was also taken to the same hospital Caño was brought and is now recuperating. The subjects of the search warrants that the police raided were said to be safehouses of Caño. The four who were arrested were identified as Raymond Cutaran, 20; Felixberto Escalante , 47; Ramon Toyac, 43; and Randy Quiros, 39, all from Ubay town. They yielded a rifle grenade, a fragmented grenade, an AR15 rifle, three KG9 pistols, a .45 pistol with magazine and a holster, four KG9 bullet magazines, 97 pieces of 9mm bullets, 18 pieces of .45 caliber bullets, seven .357 bullets, assorted drug paraphernalia, two medium and five small packets of shabu estimated to be worth P160,000, and P23,000 cash believe to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade. Authorities likewise seized “blue books” containing lists of “collectibles.”

The illegal drugs and firearms were submitted to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 at the Camp Sotero Cabahug in Cebu City for chemical analysis and ballistics examination, respectively. Those arrested men would also be subjected to drug testing. The police were armed with a warrant issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 18 Judge Gilbert Moises for the enforcement of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act) when they conducted the operation at 2:45 a.m. An RID team led by Senior Inspector Romeo Sentinta served the warrant in one of the houses in Poblacion where Cabañero was. Cabañero was ordered to surrender but he allegedly resisted and instead fired at the policemen, who were forced to shoot back and injure him. The RSOG team, led by Superintendent Rex Derilo, served the warrant in Achile. Caño allegedly exchanged gunfire while trying to escape, resulting to his death. “He was hit in different parts of the body and did not make it alive to the hospital,” said Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa, Police Regional Office-7 deputy regional director for operation.

Capa said they are checking if the confiscated firearms were used in recent shooting incidents in Bohol. Chief Superintendent Prudencio Bañas, PRO-7 director, said that Caño was involved in the planning of Caña's ambush. He said Caño was identified as a level one drug pusher who could dispose of more than 200 grams of shabu in a week, was a drug financier, and was the one who took over leadership of their group after Rosales' death. Bañas thanked Boholanos for assisting authorities, adding that PRO-7's anti-illegal drug operation in the province would continue. “We cannot say that neutralized na ang Bohol in terms of illegal drugs… we have to monitor pa,” Bañas said, thanking Boholanos for their cooperation with the police. The arrested suspects are now in PRO-7's custody pending the filing of appropriate charges against them. Caña was killed in an ambush in Talibon town only 200 meters from his house in Barangay Balintawak last June. Gunmen carried out the attack by suddenly blocking Caña's car and repeatedly firing at him, hitting him in the head and body. Responding policemen rushed Caña to the hospital but he died along the way. A follow-up operation by Bien Unido policemen following the ambush resulted to the death of six persons, including alleged druglord Rosales, at Playa Beach Resort in Barangay San Pedro. Four were arrested during the said operation and are now facing criminal charges. — (WITH REPORTING BY RIA MAE Y. BOOC OF THE FREEMAN)