P/Supt. Jonathan Satentes, BBPO operations officer, presented data on this during the joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) on October 30.

Satentes also said that despite the order of President Rodrigo Duterte “to let the PDEA handle all the operations concerning the drug menace”, the BPPO continued with the campaign against illegal drugs that is “only one component of our anti-criminality campaign”.

He cited that on October 10, Duterte “issued a memorandum directing the PNP to let the PDEA handle all the operations concerning the drug menace, as provided by Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165)”.

“Despite the issuance of said memorandum, The Bohol Police Provincial Office did not stop our anti-criminality campaign, drugs is only one component of our anti-criminality campaign. We have other programs, like the seven focused crimes such as murder, rape, robbery etc. this will be our yardstick as basis in the performance of our operating units,” according to Satentes.

BPPO “will focus on ‘internal cleansing program’, solution of homicide under investigation cases being attributed to the drug war, aggressive operations against motorcycle-riding criminals, aggressive defensive posture of PNP units, patrol beat system and Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO)”.

Satentes explained that police officers can still arrest in relation to illegal drugs trade if the transaction happens in front of them.

“BPPO is ready to extend support to the PDEA should the agency request for backup units during anti-drug operations. BPPO will still be gathering intelligence information on local narcotics trade as support for the PDEA in its drive against illegal drugs,” Satentes added.

As to the Double Barrel, Double Barrel Alpha, and Double Barrel-Reloaded, Satentes reported during the meeting that from July 1 last year to January 30 this year, and from March 1 to October 17, they had visited50,182 households.

From this campaign, 39,090 had heeded and personally appeared or surrendered.

Also under the campaign during these periods, they had conducted 669 operations and had arrested 891 persons where 28 resulted to encounter.

The record shows that under the Double Barrel campaign from July 1 to Oct 25 last year, they had visited 27,451 households which resulted to 32,273 persons yielding or surrendering themselves.

The BPPO, during this period had conducted 350 operations and arrested 483 persons; and had 22 encounters during police operations.

Under the Double Barrel Alpha from Oct 26 last year to Jan 30 this year, there had been 16,264 households visited and 5,595 surrendered.

The BPPO had conducted 69 operations and arrested 100 persons where two resulted to encounters.

Under the Double Barrel: Reloaded from March 1 to October 17 this year, they had visited 6,467 households which resulted to 1,222 persons surrendering themselves.

During this period, the police had conducted 250 operations and arrested 308 persons; and had four encounters during police operations.

For his part, Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Bohol Provincial Chief Agent Nicholas Gomez reported that  they had conducted eight operations which resulted to the arrest of 12 persons and filing of 19 cases.

Gomez also disclosed that four of the 15 barangays in Tagbilaran City have been identified as “hotspots” for the illegal drugs trade- -Taloto, Ubujan, Cogon and Manga.

This is based on the number of arrested persons in anti-illegal drugs operations and the reports that PDEA had received.

Gomez, however, did not give details as to the exact number of drug personalities arrested from the four barangays.

He added that Duterte’s order to leave the anti-illegal drugs operations to PDEA came as a challenge to them, considering their limited resources and manpower.

In Bohol, PDEA only has five personnel while there are 1,500 nationwide.

Gomez added that the limited manpower is the reason that they have difficulty conducting anti-illegal drugs operations since drug clearing operations are part of their work load.

The PDEA-Bohol chief, however, said that the supply of drugs has already dwindled, but there are still many users that need to be addressed.

Gomez also said that with the presence of pushers and users, most barangays are moderately affected.

He said there are reports of drug dens but such are still under intel operations.