BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
Police across Bohol province confiscated approximately P18.2 million worth of suspected methamphetamine and arrested six suspects in separate anti-drug operations conducted between July 19-24, 2025.
The coordinated operations, involving several law enforcement units, resulted in the seizure of nearly 3 kilograms of suspected shabu and the arrest of several high-value targets and street-level dealers across four municipalities, authorities said.
The largest seizure occurred during an 11 p.m. operation July 19, 2025 when Tagbilaran City police arrested two former inmates and confiscated P11.2 million worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Booy, officials said.
The suspects were identified as Ron Waldo Lazaro, 48, married, of Dan Pamaong, Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City, and his alleged accomplice Jonas Vinoya, 37, married, of Purok 9, Dan Calceta, Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City.
Both men were classified as high-value individuals and had previously been released from prison through plea bargaining agreements under drug-related charges, police said.
The City Drug Enforcement Unit of Tagbilaran City Police Station, under the command of Lt. Col. John Kareen Escober, police chief, conducted the operation in coordination with the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group-Special Operations Unit 7 and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 Bohol.
Officers recovered four large packets of suspected shabu from the suspects during the operation.
The confiscated drugs weighed approximately 1.62 kilograms with a standard drug price valuation of P11,220,000, according to police estimates based on current street values.
Five days later, in another Tagbilaran operation, Provincial Intelligence Unit and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit officers from the Bohol Provincial Police Office arrested Paul Lester Abellana, 44, married, of Purok-1, Barangay Cogon, Tagbilaran City, during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Dampas on Thursday night, July 24, 2025.
Abellana, an ex-convict identified as a high-value individual, was caught selling suspected methamphetamine to undercover officers. Police initially bought one packet of suspected shabu worth P12,000 from Abellana during the staged transaction, authorities said.
Following the arrest, officers conducted a search and recovered 13 additional large packets of suspected shabu from Abellana’s sling bag.
The total confiscated drugs weighed approximately 1.025 kilograms with a standard drug price valuation of P6,970,000, bringing the suspect’s total drug seizure value to P6,982,000 including the initial purchase.
In Talibon municipality, police arrested a tricycle driver listed on the local drug watchlist during a Wednesday night buy-bust operation that yielded P7,480 worth of suspected methamphetamine.
The suspect, identified as Quiterio Cañete Jr., 43, married, of Purok-1, Barangay San Isidro, Talibon, was arrested at 9:36 p.m. in Purok-4, Barangay San Isidro during the operation conducted by the Municipal Drug Enforcement Team.
The operation, headed by Maj. Romar T. Labasbas, chief of police, was conducted in coordination with PDEA-7 Bohol.
Undercover officers initially bought one packet of suspected shabu worth P500 from Cañete during the sting operation. Upon arrest, police recovered three additional packets of suspected methamphetamine from his possession.
The total confiscated drugs weighed approximately 1 gram with a standard drug price of P7,480, authorities said.
In Bilar municipality, police arrested a 45-year-old suspected drug dealer during a Sunday night operation that also resulted in the seizure of an illegal firearm and ammunition.
The suspect, classified as a street-level individual and residing in Purok-4, Barangay Yanaya, Bilar, was arrested at 9:21 p.m. during a buy-bust operation in Purok-4, Barangay Zamora conducted by the Municipal Drug Enforcement Team.
Officers initially purchased one packet of suspected shabu worth P500 from the suspect during the undercover operation. Following the arrest, police recovered another packet of suspected methamphetamine from his possession, bringing the total drug seizure to approximately 4 grams valued at P27,200.
During the search, police also confiscated a .38-caliber revolver without a serial number, two bullets, a cellphone, and the motorcycle the suspect was using. The additional items will form part of separate firearms charges against the suspect.
All five drug suspects will face charges under Republic Act 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, which will be filed at the respective prosecutor’s offices in their jurisdictions, police said. The charges typically include illegal possession and sale of dangerous drugs.
The Bilar suspect will face additional charges under Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition found during his arrest.
The seized drugs, with a combined weight of approximately 2.69 kilograms, will undergo laboratory testing at the regional crime laboratory to confirm their composition and purity levels, authorities added.
In a separate but potentially related incident, a 29-year-old man with previous drug-related charges was shot and killed by an unidentified gunman in Sitio Dike, Barangay Calunasan, Calape on Thursday night, July 24, 2025 at approximately 11 p.m.
The victim was identified as Guillermo Nangca y Ejoc, single with a live-in partner and unemployed, of Barangay Abucayan Norte, Calape.
The killing occurred on the same night as the major Tagbilaran drug bust operation.
According to the initial investigation by Calape Municipal Police Station, Barangay Councilor Ailyn Toraja discovered the victim’s body floating in a creek at 6:30 a.m. Friday morning while conducting routine barangay rounds.
Police Msg. Dennis Jumamoy, the lead investigating officer, said residents in the area reported hearing gunshots around 11 p.m. Thursday, though the shots were fired from a considerable distance from residential areas.
The municipal health officer who examined the body found two gunshot wounds on the victim — one on the leg and a fatal shot to the head.
Despite extensive searches, no bullet casings were recovered at the crime scene, suggesting the perpetrator may have cleaned up evidence.
Jumamoy revealed that the victim was under probation supervision after being previously arrested under Section 5 (sale of illegal drugs) and Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Republic Act 9165.
Nangca had entered into a plea bargain agreement with the court system, which allowed his early release from detention.
“This victim was under probationary status because he was previously arrested under Section 5 and Section 11 of RA 9165 and had entered a plea bargain. Our investigation is still ongoing,” Jumamoy told Bohol media, indicating that investigators are examining whether the killing was connected to illegal drug activities