Top W. Visayas drug lord slain

The suspected No. 1 drug lord of Western Visayas was killed in a shootout with policemen who raided his lair in Jaro, Iloilo City, Friday night.

Alleged drug lord Richard “Buang” Prevendido was gunned down when he shot it out with a police team – led by Senior Supt. Marlon Tayaba, chief of Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) – who swooped down on his lair at Land-heights Subdivision in Balabago, Jaro District, to serve an arrest warrant on illegal drugs charges.

As the policemen entered the house, they were allegedly met by a volley of gunfire forcing them to retaliate and killed Prevendido. Also killed was Prevendido's son Jason.

Tayaba said the suspected drug lord died from bullet wounds in the head and neck.

An AK-47 assault rifle, two .45 caliber pistols, knives, and sachets of suspected shabu were seized from the scene of the shootout.

Resistance expected Director General Ronald dela Rosa, the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said they expected Pre-

vendido to put up fight as he was seen as a toughie who did not even bother to clear his name when the issue of illegal drugs in Western Visayas cropped up.

Tayaba said Prevendido had been staying in his Landheights lair for a while based on food stocks found in one room.

Prevendido, who had a 11-million reward on his head, went into hiding after he was charged with the sale and possession of illegal drugs following a raid in his house in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

His death came almost a year after Melvin “Boyet” Odicta Sr., whom President Duterte had earlier claimed to have controlled the illegal drug trade that stretches “west of Cebu,” was killed with his wife at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan, on August 29, 2016. Odicta used to be the No. 1 drug lord in Western Visayas, according to police.

Dela Rosa said police see no connection between Prevendido and Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog, tagged by President Duterte as protector of illegal drugs syndicate in Western Visayas.

“We cannot establish the connection between the two,” said Dela Rosa.

What was established, according to Dela Rosa, is the relationship between the Odictas and Mabilog, with the mayor allegedly protecting the former.

Dela Rosa said the Odictas used to be the No. 1drug lord supplier in Western Visayas but it was already taken over by the group of Prevendido when the couple died last year.

Risks of the profession Malacañang said the death of Prevendido show the risks the police are willing to take to effect warrants against drug personalities.

Prevendido was tagged by the PNP as a national target and by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as a highvalue target.

In a statement, Malacañang said the police are now investigating the incident and that they would provide more details upon availability.

“The incident shows the enormous risk our police officers face each time warrants are implemented against high-value targets,” Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella's statement read.

Dela Rosa immediately cleared the name of Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido in the death of Prevendido.

Espenido, who was supposed to be reassigned to Iloilo City based on the announcement of President Duterte, had led the drug raid on the houses of the Parojinog clan.

Espenido was also the chief of Albuera (Leyte) police when Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed while in detention.

Espenido’s re-assignment to Iloilo City was cancelled due to qualification issues. (See related story.)

Duterte had earlier tagged Iloilo as “shabulized” and “bedrock” of drugs.

Two down, three more to go

With the death of Prevendido and Odicta, police forces are now monitoring the activities of three more top drug personalities whom they say are responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs in Western Visayas region.

Dela Rosa said they are continuously intensifying the intelligence-gathering against the three, two of them he identified as the Bolivar Group and Yang Group.

“We are continuously monitoring them to determine if they are still in the illegal drugs business,” said Dela Rosa.

The chief PNP issued the statement in reaction to the death of Prevendido. (With a report from Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)