Drug group ‘leader’ killed

BACOLOD CITY — An elusive suspected leader of a drug group and his companion died Thursday afternoon in a gunbattle with policemen at sitio Sibucao in Barangay Banago of Bacolod City.

Senior Inspector Armilyn Vargas, spokesperson of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said Ramy Poja, an alleged leader of the Poja Drug Group, and Roberto Bobby" Lim, also a high value target drug personality, were both killed in pursuit operations of the police, led by Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo.

Vargas said the operatives also arrested the wounded Rusty Poja Constantino, Ramy Poja's live-in partner Claudine Bindol, and Cyril Jarina.

Poja, 36, who had pending warrants of arrest for illegal possession of guns and drug- related charges had always escaped from pursuing authorities by tossing grenades at them in 2015, 2016, and in February this year.

The police recovered from the scene a Spyke tactical 5.56mm highpowered rifle with a magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition, a .45-caliber pistol and 56 grams of shabu, drugs paraphernalia and a cellular phone.

Several hours earlier that day, the group of Poja was reported by the police to have ambushed members of BCPO Station 3, led by Senior Inspector Victor Paulino, while on their way out from a narrow passage in the sitio, after a successful anti-illegal gambling operations that led to the arrest of four suspects.

Paulino was hit in the left thigh, while two other civilians -Jordan Cordova and his mother Erlinda, who were already sleeping early morning Thursday - were hit by stray bullets, police investigations showed.

During the follow-up operations, Vargas said the police tried to negotiate for the surrender of Poja and his group, after they were monitored to have sought refuge at the house of Salvador Poja, alias Manahan, while the whole area was being cordoned by the police.

Vargas said that, instead of surrendering, the armed Poja group opened fire at the police, triggering a brief gunbattle.

Poja, who managed to evade arrest by the police and the PDEA for several years now, was known to be a "Robin Hood" among his neighbors who, describing him as a generous and kind man, expressed their dismay that the operation resulted in killings and violence.

A 71-year-old neighbor of Poja, who requested not to be identified, said Poja was someone she can go to even at the wee hours in case financial need arises. "Ramy is a good person and will not hesitate to always extend help to the needy and the poor like us," she said.

The continuous operation, which lasted for at least 15 hours, was full of tension with residents mocking the police and the latter exercising maximum tolerance. A short commotion ensued when the bodies of Poja and Lim were carried out from the house to be transported to a funeral parlor.

Policemen, in full battle gear and armed with long firearms ,secured their fellow policemen on the way to their vehicles while the crowd tried to get in the way and the family members of the fatalities went into hysterics.

Some bystanders even yelled at the policemen. A woman, in her 50s, shouted at the policemen asking where they will now ask for help since Poja is already dead.

Ebreo denied that there was an overkill in the neutralization of Poja and his group. With the outcome, he said the BCPO is in high esteem and high morale since this will mean a big reduction in the drug trade.