By DAVE CHARLES RESPONTE

DAUIS, Bohol – A 23-year-old man was arrested for allegedly smuggling more than one kilogram of shabu, or crystal meth, in a buy bust operation in Dauis town early Thursday morning.

The suspect was identified as Bartolome Atizon Jr., a resident of Barangay Bil-isan, Panglao.

He was caught with 1.05 kilograms of shabu, estimated to be worth 10.5 million pesos, inside a Chinese tea bag.

The operation was conducted by the Dauis Police Station, led by Lt. Thomas Zen Cheung, in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO), in the town where Gov. Aris Aumentado and his wife, Second District Rep. Vanessa Aumentado reside.

According to Cheung, they received a tip from an informant that Atizon was involved in shabu smuggling in the area. They then arranged a transaction with the suspect, who agreed to sell shabu to an undercover agent at Park 6, Barangay Dao, Dauis.

At around 2:15 a.m., the suspect handed over the shabu to the agent, who then signaled the other operatives to arrest him. A search of his belongings yielded more shabu, a digital weighing scale, and a mobile phone.

Atizon claimed that he did not know the source of the shabu, and that he was only instructed by someone to deliver it to the buyer.

He also denied being a drug user or a pusher, saying that he was only doing it for the money.

Dauis drug courier confesses to getting paid for deliveries

A 23-year-old man who was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Dauis on February 1, 2024, confessed that he was paid to deliver drugs into the town, according to police reports.

The suspect, identified as Bartolome Atizon Jr. of barangay Bil-isan, Panglao, said he received the drugs from an unknown source through text messages. He agreed to deliver the drugs because of the large amount of money he was offered.

Police seized P10.5 million worth of shabu, a methamphetamine derivative, from Atizon’s possession. They also learned that the drug supply came from Calape town.

Atizon admitted that this was not his first time to deliver drugs in Dauis. He said he was previously paid through an e-wallet, but did not disclose how much he earned.

Bohol police provincial director Col. Lorenzo Batuan commended the Dauis Municipal Police Station (MPS) for the successful operation, which he said was part of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s campaign to reduce drug supply in the province.

Lt. Thomas Zen Cheung led the Dauis MPS personnel in arresting Atizon, who is now facing charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The arrest coincided with the visit of Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 chief Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, who turned over new patrol cars to 19 municipal police stations in Bohol.

The turnover ceremony was held at Camp Francisco Dagohoy on February 1, 2024. The towns of Alicia, Anda, Balilihan, Batuan, Calape, Catigbian, Clarin, Cortes, Dagohoy, Dimiao, Duero, Getafe, Loboc, Maribojoc, Sagbayan, San Miguel, Sierra Bullones, Tubigon, and Valencia each received a patrol car unit from the PNP National Headquarters.