1 dead in raid

CEBU, Philippines - One died, another was injured, and four of their cohorts were arrested  in  a  joint operation by the Regional Intelligence Division, Regional Special Operations Group, and the Ubay Police Station in a drive against loose firearms in Bohol early morning yesterday.

The suspects were said to be associates of former policeman Owen Rosales, who was linked to the ambush of Ubay Police Station chief George Caña two months ago.

Romulo Caño, 31, was killed in a shootout with the police at his residence in Barangay Achile after being hit twice in the body. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Romulo Cabañero was also wounded after resisting arrest. He was collared at a separate house owned by Caño in Barangay Poblacion. He was also taken to the same hospital Caño was brought and is now recuperating.

The subjects of the search warrants that the police raided were said to be safehouses of Caño.

The four who were arrested were identified as Raymond Cutaran, 20; Felixberto Escalante , 47; Ramon Toyac, 43; and Randy Quiros, 39, all from Ubay town.

They yielded a rifle grenade, a fragmented grenade, an AR15 rifle, three KG9 pistols, a .45 pistol with magazine and a holster, four KG9 bullet magazines, 97 pieces of 9mm bullets, 18 pieces of .45 caliber bullets, seven .357 bullets, assorted drug paraphernalia, two medium and five small packets of shabu estimated to be worth P160,000, and P23,000 cash believe to be proceeds from the illegal drug trade.

Authorities likewise seized “blue books” containing lists of “collectibles.”

The illegal drugs and firearms were submitted to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory-7 at the Camp Sotero Cabahug in Cebu City for chemical analysis and ballistics examination, respectively.

Those arrested men would also be subjected to drug testing.

The police were armed with a warrant issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 18 Judge Gilbert Moises for the enforcement of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act) when they conducted the operation at 2:45 a.m.

An RID team led by Senior Inspector Romeo Sentinta served the warrant in one of the houses in Poblacion where Cabañero was.

Cabañero was ordered to surrender but he allegedly resisted and instead fired at the policemen, who were forced to shoot back and injure him.

The RSOG team, led by Superintendent Rex Derilo, served the warrant in Achile. Caño allegedly exchanged gunfire while trying to escape, resulting to his death.

“He was hit in different parts of the body and did not make it alive to the hospital,” said Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa, Police Regional Office-7 deputy regional director for operation.

Capa said they are checking if the confiscated firearms were used in recent shooting incidents in Bohol.

Chief Superintendent Prudencio Bañas, PRO-7 director, said that Caño was involved in the planning of Caña’s ambush.

He said Caño was identified as a level one drug pusher who could dispose of more than 200 grams of shabu in a week, was a drug financier, and was the one who took over leadership of their group after Rosales’ death.

Bañas thanked Boholanos for assisting authorities, adding that PRO-7’s anti-illegal drug operation in the pro-vince would continue.

“We cannot say that neutralized na ang Bohol in terms of illegal drugs… we have to monitor pa,” Bañas said, thanking Boholanos for their cooperation with the police.

The arrested suspects are now in PRO-7’s custody pending the filing of appropriate charges against them.

Caña was killed in an ambush in Talibon town only 200 meters from his house in Barangay Balintawak last June. Gunmen carried out the attack by suddenly blocking Caña’s car and repeatedly firing at him, hitting him in the head and body.  Responding policemen rushed Caña to the hospital but he died along the way.

A follow-up operation by Bien Unido policemen following the ambush resulted to the death of six persons, including alleged druglord Rosales, at Playa Beach Resort in Barangay San Pedro.

Four were arrested during the said operation and are now facing criminal charges. — /RHM (FREEMAN)