TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — This week brought a mix of major developments to the province, from a historic milestone in water access for a remote island to high-profile crimes and law enforcement actions in Panglao. Here are the top stories on the island from February 18 to 24, 2026.
A ‘Life-Changing’ Milestone: Desalination Plant Brings Water to Malingin Island
After decades of relying on rainfall, residents of Malingin Island in Bien Unido town now have a reliable source of safe drinking water. On February 20, the provincial government turned over a P7.4-million water desalination facility to the island community .
For 72-year-old Florentina Torreon, who has spent her entire life collecting rainwater, the project is transformative. “What we have long waited for has finally arrived. We are very happy because we no longer struggle for water,” she told the Inquirer .
The facility, funded through the provincial government’s development fund, can produce up to 11,000 liters of clean water per day for the island’s 1,859 residents. Previously, residents had to endure a 45-minute to one-hour boat ride to the mainland just to buy water costing between P60 and P80 per container. Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, who led the turnover ceremony, urged the community to care for the facility, noting that water access remains a top priority for geographically isolated areas .
P100K Reward Offered in Robbery of Taiwanese Tourists in Panglao
Authorities are ramping up efforts to identify a thief who robbed a Taiwanese couple on Alona Beach. The incident, which occurred on the evening of February 22, was caught on CCTV and showed a man in a hoodie stealing the couple’s bag from under their chair at a beachfront restaurant .
The stolen bag contained two passports, credit cards, cash, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max. While the cellphone was later recovered discarded in a grassy area—likely to avoid tracking—the suspects remain at large .
In response, Governor Aumentado has offered a P100,000 reward for any information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect. “Please report to the nearest police station. Your identity will be kept confidential,” the governor said . The Panglao Municipal Police Station has launched an investigation into the theft.
Chinese National Nabbed for Posing as Filipino
In a case of identity fraud, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of a 48-year-old Chinese national in Panglao on February 17. The suspect had been posing as a Filipino citizen and was operating several businesses in the area using Filipino “dummies” to circumvent constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership .
The suspect possessed a professional driver’s license from the LTO indicating Filipino citizenship, but immigration records confirmed he entered the country in 2018 on a Special Resident Retiree’s Visa. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated, “Acquiring government identification by falsely claiming Filipino citizenship is not a minor technical violation – it is a direct affront to our sovereignty and our laws.” The suspect now faces deportation charges .
Week-Long Drug Crackdown Nets Nearly P10 Million in Shabu
In a separate but related law enforcement effort, the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) reported the arrest of eight suspects and the seizure of over P9.9 million worth of shabu in a series of operations from February 13 to 18 .
The largest haul occurred on February 17 in Barangay Libaong, Panglao, where police arrested two individuals classified as High-Value Targets. Authorities confiscated approximately 1,296.4 grams of suspected shabu valued at P8.8 million, along with an unlicensed 9mm pistol . Provincial Director Col. Patricio Degay Jr. noted the recovery of a firearm from a drug suspect was “alarming and a serious threat to public safety” .
Other operations in Dauis, Corella, Sikatuna, Calape, Clarin, Tubigon, and Talibon led to the arrest of several suspects, including a 19-year-old student and a 21-year-old student, highlighting the wide reach of the illegal drug trade. All suspects are facing charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act .
(With reports from Inquirer, GMA News, Bombo Radyo, and Bohol Tribune)
