James Reyes, an alleged top drug trafficker in the region, was in control of the illegal narcotics operations of arrested Bohol “drug queen” Maida Jabines before he was gunned down by police on Saturday, said the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) intelligence chief.
According to BPPO Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB) head Sr. Insp. Jojit Mananquil, Reyes took over of what was left of Jabines’ illegal drug business after she was arrested in April last year.
Jabines was allegedly caught in possession of shabu worth P25.9 million, one of the largest drug haul seized in a single anti-narcotics operation in Bohol.
Following the purported takeover, Reyes’ growing drug business drew the attention of police across Central Visayas including the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) elevating him to the sixth spot of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7’s list of high-value targets.
The alleged big-time drug personality was subjected to months-long surveillance as information indicating that his operations extended beyond Bohol surfaced, said RID 7 director Sr. Supt. Jonathan Cabal.
Authorities then found out that Reyes was the supplier of Teofilo Tampus who was allegedly caught in possession of three kilos of shabu with an estimated street value of P18 million by police, said Cabal.
Tampus was arrested during a buy-bust operation on May 5 in Barangay Nahawan in Clarin town.
According to Cabal, they obtained intelligence information indicating that Reyes was getting his drug supply from an unknown contact at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
For his part, Sr. Insp. Ricardo Tero, chief of the Regional Special Operations Group 7, told DYRD Balita that Reyes was the “controller” supervising Tampus, a carpenter, in conducting illegal drug operations in Bohol based on police investigation.
Reyes, a resident of Barangay Estaca Pilar, was killed by police after allegedly resisting arrest during an anti-illegal drugs operation outside a cockpit arena in Barangay Poblacion, Sierra Bullones on Saturday evening.
The suspect was subjected to a buy-bust operation wherein he reportedly noticed he was transacting with a police poseur-buyer prompting him to draw his .45 caliber pistol.
However, responding joint police operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) 7, PIB and Sierra Bullones Police Station were able to shoot Reyes first.
READ: ‘Big-time’ drug personality killed in Sierra Bullones anti-narcotics ops
Following the operation, police seized Reyes’ .45 caliber pistol and Toyota Fortuner, and its contents including a shotgun and shabu with an estimated worth of P354,000.
The operation was jointly carried out by the RDEU-7 led by Senior Inspector Windell Abellana, the PIB under Mananquil and the Sierra Bullones police led by its municipal chief Inspector Geronimo Conarco. (Rey Tutas)