GETAFE, Bohol-A suspected drug pusher from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu was among the three persons killed in a shootout during a raid conducted by police operatives on an island off Getafe town, Bohol on Saturday morning.
Rowen Torrefiel Secretaria and his three friends allegedly drew their guns when joint police teams raided his house on Banacon Island, Getafe about 4:30 a.m.
Killed were Secretaria and his two friends who were still unidentified.
Another friend – Ricardo Ostolano, 26 and a resident of Calituban Island, Talibon town, was wounded in the firefight and was brought to Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in the capital city of Tagbilaran City.
According to PO2 Armando Balagot of Getafe Police Station, the police were armed with as search warrant issued by Judge Irma Zita Masamayor of Regional Trial Court Branch 52 in Talibon town, for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The raid was conducted by operatives of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group in Central Visayas and Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), which were based in Cebu as well as the Provincial Intelligence Branch of Bohol police.
The team led by Senior Insp. Henrix Bancoleta served the warrant in the house of Secretaria.
But Secretaria and his three friends drew their guns when they sensed the law enforcers were going to arrest them.
Recovered from the crime scene were one KG 9, one .45 cal pistol and two .38 revolvers.
According to Supt. Ricky Delilis, spokesperson of Bohol Provincial Police Office, the police had been tracking down Secretaria for years.
He said Secretaria was a subject of their operation last year but eluded arrest.
“He was on the list of wanted persons but he was very elusive,” said Delilis.
He described Secretaria was a notorious drug-dealer based in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu and was in the list of top 10 drug personalities operating Cebu and Bohol province.
According to Delilis, Secretaria’s illegal drug operation was extensive because it reached the two provinces.
Delilis said that Bohol Provincial Police Office identified the top 10 areas in Bohol which are badly infiltrated with the drug trade. These are Tagbilaran City and the towns of Talibon, Inabanga, Getafe, Clarin, Ubay, Panglao, Carmen, Tubigon and Dauis.
He also said that the illegal drugs from Bohol would usually come from Ozamis City, Cebu and Metro Manila including New Bilid Prison in Muntinlupa.
“Bohol is an island and is very near to Cebu. Puwede lang ito marating ng bangka kahit hindi na dumaan ng pier (The drugs were brought here through small boats without passing through the pier),” said Delilis.
In the case of Banacon Island, which is one of the eight island-barangays of Getafe town, it is located almost 4 miles or 6 kilometers from Mactan Cebu or 29 minutes away on board a banca.
Delilis said drugs were sent through parcels.
“They have couriers, who are using different ports. Drugs from Cebu are sent through roll-on-roll-off (Roro) vessels docking at the ports of Tagbilaran, Ubay, Tubigon, Talibon, Jagna, Getafe and Loon,” he added.
Some drugs were shipped from Cebu to the coastal towns of Bohol through fishing vessels, Delilis added.