There is a glaring lax in security measures at the various ports thus the supply of shabu is noticeably increasing especially after the end of the six-year war against drugs during the Duterte administration.
PNP Prov’l Director Lorenzo Batuan admitted to the Chronicle the need to tighten security especially in the loading and unloading of passengers as well as vehicles in ro-ro vessels docking at the various seaports in Bohol.
“This needs the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to implement strict security measures at the various ports, he said.
The statement of the PNP chief came after the recent seizure of some P69 million worth of shabu in Allen town in the neighboring of Northern Samar while in transit from Manila .
Because of this lack of security at the seaports, he did not rule out the possibility that part of the 10 kilos (worth P69 million) shabu were intended for distribution in the province.
The route of a land-trip from Manila is very accessible to Ubay Port which is just a six-hour trip from Bato, Leyte.
It maybe recalled that barely two weeks ago, authorities here seized some P8.5 millions shabu from a courier identified as John Albert Iter in Poblacion, Dauis town last Jan. 25.
The said seized shabu was being marketed by an inmate “operating inside his detention cell in Labuyog Penal Colony in Leyte,” according to the police.
INTERCEPTED IN NEARBY SAMAR
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) VIII spokesperson Rogellete Urgel told the Chronicle that the driver of the vehicle who was identified as Mangayao Mitomara claimed that he was bound for Mindanao.
However, they are not discounting the possibility that the contraband was on its way to another destination including Bohol.
“Ongoing pa ang investigation kung sino yung source at saan talaga papunta ang drugs kasi galing siya sa Luzon,” said Urgel.
Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) director Col. Batuan who confirmed the vehicle was indeed registered to a Boholano also acknowledged the possibility that the drugs were intended to be shipped to Bohol.
“Di nato ma discount ang possibility na ari to padung kay based sa information na nakuha gikan ang sakyanan sa Manila although ingon siya na para sa Marawi siya [driver] naa gihapoy posibilidad na ari siya nato padung,” said Batuan.
The alleged owner of the Toyota Vios, Zalkdy Sumaylo personally visited the Chronicle offices last Friday to question how come he was still the registered owner of the car while his last registration was in 2019.
He clarified that the vehicle was repossessed by Global Dominion Financing Incorporated in 2019 and was no longer under his name since then.
“Year 2019 pa giimbargo sa Global Dominion ang sakyanan. Ug gipablotter na ang hitabo. Himuan og legal action para pagprotect sa name sa biktima,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dauis Vice Mayor Miriam Sumaylo cried foul to the smear campaign linking their family to the alleged owner of the van. (Read: separate story: p2)
NEED FOR K-9 DOGS
Gov. Aris Aumentado in expressing his alarm on the increasing volume of shabu circulating in the province said the provincial government will acquire K-9 dogs to be positioned at the various seaports.
He said the K-9 dogs to be purchased is slated to be delivered here next month.
The governor last Friday showed four K-9 dogs presently being practiced for drug detection. These four will supplement the requirement for K-9 dogs, the governor said.
He ordered Col. Batuan to initiate a security plan envisioned to tighten the security at the seaports especially those facing Cagayan de Oro. (with reports from Allen Doydora)