The number of anti-illegal drug operations in Bohol has more than tripled in August when Colonel Jonathan Cabal took over the helm of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) compared to the average number of operations conducted in the previous seven months of 2019.
BPPO data indicated that 100 anti-illegal drug operations were carried out by the various police units in the province for the month of August while police conducted 33 operations in January, 40 in February, 50 in March, 33 in April, 14 in May, 30 in June and 22 in July, averaging 31.7 operations each month for the first seven months of the year.
Cabal who was installed as acting BPPO director on August 1 vowed to use his experience as an anti-narcotics cop in Nueva Ecija and Central Visayas’ top intelligence officer to curb illegal drug trade in the province.
“We will go against illegal drug personalities, definitely with my vast experience as intelligence [officer] and as drug enforcement officer before in Neuva Ecija I will make sure na ma-enforce properly yung anti-drug efforts,” Cabal said in an earlier interview.
Cabal admitted that most of those collared in August were tagged as street-level drug personalities but said that the arrests would eventually lead to the identification of suspects in the higher levels of the drug supply chain.
“Mas makukuha natin yang mga bigger targets ‘pag nakukuha yang mga maliliit kasi yun ang source, dun sila kumukuha. We build up on those accomplishments, parang ladder type di natin makukuha yung sa taas agad,” said Cabal.
The BPPO got its big break on September 1 when they seized P6.8 million shabu in Clarin from two high-value drug targets Esterio Quiño and Isagani Cañete who were killed during the operation after allegedly resisting arrest.
The duo along with their drug ring allegedly supplied illegal drugs to “two-thirds” of the province while the multi-million peso drug haul seized from them during the operation was shipped from Cebu.
More work ahead
Cabal admitted that illegal drugs are still being slipped into Bohol through the coastal towns.
He said that seaborne patrols are needed to “interdict” the illegal drug shipment before it even reaches the province’s shores while the government should also enlist the aid of barangay officials and watchmen to monitor the coastline.
“Yung sa dagat dapat meron din tayong mag interdict at the same time magbantay sa laot. Isa lang kasi coastline natin hindi natin basta-basta mabantayan yan. Kung doon man tayo sa pantalan, makakadaong naman yung mga banka doon sa mga non-port areas,” he said.
For his part, Governor Arthur Yap directed the BPPO to boost its intelligence network in going after drug personalities and other criminals.
“Don’t think that police work begins and ends with the barrel of the gun. Police work begins with intel…That is why you wear your gun lower than where you wear your brain because you have to give more importance on intelligence work,” said Yap.
According to Yap, he will order the transfer of chiefs of police found out to have lagging intelligence efforts. (with RT)