Valentine's Day busts: Bohol's 2nd most wanted, drug suspects nabbed; guns seized

CEBU, Philippines - Four police operations, in less than 48 hours going into Valentine's Day, resulted in the arrest of Bohol's most wanted and big-time drug suspects and the confiscation of illegal drugs, gambling paraphernalia and illegal firearms and ammos, including those from a barangay councilman.

The operations were deemed the biggest and most aggressive done in the history of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO), under Sr. Supt. Dennis Agustin.

A day before Valentine's Day, police raided the house of Councilman Glen Torrenueva Ombrosa of Barangay Concepcion in Danao town, 80 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. Seized from his possession were a Colt M16 rifle, five magazines of M16, an M79-grenade launcher and several ammunitions, a .45-caliber Remington pistol and several live bullets, and 119 live ammunition for  a 5.56-mm gun.

The raiding team, led by Bohol SWAT head Sr. Insp. Roland Lavisto, was armed with a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court-branch 52 Judge Marivic Trabajo-Daray, in relation to Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms.

On Valentine's Day, the same police team tracked and arrested Bohol's No. 2 most wanted person Christopher Buslon, a resident of Brgy. Poblacion in Pilar town. "(Buslon) has a pending warrant of arrest for the crime of murder docketed under CC-02-INV-13F-00424 at RTC-branch 51 in Carmen, Bohol," Lavisto said.

Buslon was arrested while staying inside the residence of spouses Isidra and Cristino Villaber of Brgy. Pandan in Tubigon, Bohol.

On the same day, the CIDG-Bohol, led by Chief Insp. Carlos Lictag, raided the house of Sherwin Bautista at Purok 3 in Brgy. Tiptip, Tagbilaran City and seized from him two short firearms and several live bullets, three big packs of suspected shabu, several drug paraphernalia, "swertres" tally sheets, and P4,500 cash.

Also arrested was Alma Paculba Manlangit, believed to be Bautista's girlfriend who was at the suspect's house when the police served the search warrant issued by RTC-branch 47 Executive Judge Suceso Arcamo.

In September 2011 Bautista was also arrested in Loon town for his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in Bohol. At that time, however, he posted a P500,000 bond and was later acquitted by the court due to the so-called "technicalities" in the police operation.

Later in the night of Valentine's Day, Talibon Police team, led by Sr. Insp. Eduard Sanchez, served a search warrant against Giovani Cuizon, Bobot Villarino, and Brendo Feniza, all residents of Talibon town, 98 kilometers from Tagbilaran.

Seized from the suspects were three short firearms of calibers . 45, .38 and 9mm; two big plastic packs of suspected shabu; drug paraphernalia, and P34,252 cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade.

Agustin had issued a public statement warning Bohol officials that the illegal drug problem in the province is already alarming, and he called on the public and local authorities to rally behind the police in the renewed campaign against the menace.

"The problem on illegal drugs is threatening the stability of our society and our families. We have to double our efforts in fighting against drugs," he said, while vowing to clean up also the ranks of the police from possible linkage to illegal drugs. (FREEMAN)