By Marisol Bo-oc, Sue Sereno in Cebu and Helen Castaño in Tagbilaran | 02:54 PM May 26, 2020
Operatives of the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) seized more than P40 million worth of suspected shabu that were concealed inside Chinese tea bags.
A couple and three cohorts were arrested on Monday, May 25, in two separate operations in Tagbilaran City and Talibon, Bohol.
Police Colonel Joselito Clarito, officer-in-charge of the Bohol Police Provincial Police Office (BPPO), said that at 5:45 p.m. on Monday, four were arrested in Sitio Antipolo, Barangay Dampas in Tagbilaran City.
They were Lelit Sinugbijan-Dajao, 44, a resident of Barangay Tahangligue in Talibon town; Chellomae Curayag Pescura, 33, a resident of Barangay Cawayan in Inabanga town; Junalyn Abelgas Matura, 32, a resident of Barangay Bingag in Dauis town; and Humprey Millana Cenabre, 34, a resident of Barangay Liloan Norte in Inabanga town.
Seized from the suspects were sachets of suspected shabu placed inside two Chinese tea bags with an estimated weight of 2 kilograms and an estimated value of P13,702,000.
At 6:45 p.m., Dajao’s husband identified as Jaime Auxtero Dajao was arrested by police at his house in Purok 2 in Barangay Tanghaligue in Talibon town.
Seized from Jaime were sachets of suspected shabu inside two Chinese tea bags weighing 4 kilograms with an estimated value of P27,200,000.
In a virtual press conference with Cebu and Bohol media, Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, the regional director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said they’ve uncovered drug syndicates several months ago including those operating in Bohol province.
WHERE DID THIS CAME FROM?
According to Ferro, the same tea packaging had them initially conclude that their supply came from the Chinese triad.
Ferro, who previously led the PNP’s Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), said the packaging was similar to the shabu they’ve seized in Las Piñas last year.
This led them to believe that the illegal drugs is not sourced locally in the province of Bohol.
“We believe that these are not coming from Bohol but we will still conduct investigation because we believe that Bohol has no capability of having that kind of manufacturing or coming up with a clandestine laboratory. But the packing is a signature that we know for a fact, those are smuggled shabu from the triad,” Ferro said.
Col. Clarito revealed that it took them one month for the surveillance operations against the arrested individuals.
Hesaid this is even the “biggest bulk” that the BPPO has confiscated.
“First time in the history of Bohol. First time in the history of drug enforcement operations here in the province,” Clarito told reporters.
However, they are yet to establish how these supplies of shabu was able to enter Bohol considering that there’s no inbound and outbound travels except for cargo while the province was previously placed under enhanced community quarantine and even now under general community quarantine.
Intensified seaborne patrol together with the Philippine Coast Guard in Bohol is being conducted.
Clarito said this also led them in apprehending people trying to sneak in to the province through the coastal barangays.
Ferro commended the accomplishments of his men in Bohol.
“I commend these two snappy provincial offices for giving us these accomplishments despite this health crisis,” he said.
The operation was conducted by the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU), BPPO Provincial Intelligence Branch, Provincial Druge Enforcement Unit, Special Operations Unit of PDEG, and PDEA in Bohol.
He urged the Bol-anons to help the police force not only in this COVID-19 pandemic but as well as continue to be vigilant against illegal activities in their area.
