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BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Friday, April 28, 2017
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ILOILO City – Suspected drug lord Richard “Buang” Prevendido is not running out of tricks to evade arrest such as sending policemen misleading text messages on his whereabouts, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6.
“This is the latest information we received. May nagte-text sa mga pulis at sa ating office na nasa ganitong lugar siya pero wala siya doon. Misinformation of his whereabouts ang ginagawa,” said Assistant Regional Director Levi Ortiz.
He also did not discount the possibility that Prevendido, a resident of Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district, was using a disguise such as a wig.
The PDEA official believed Prevendido, despite the P1-million bounty offered by the city and provincial governments of Iloilo for the suspect’s capture, is still in Iloilo.
“May gina-zero in kita na mga areas na may mga contacts tayo. Hopefully makuha natin siya. He is moving fast,” said Ortiz.
He reiterated the suspicion that Prevendido, who has a pending warrant of arrest for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, is getting help from his family.
To move around undetected, he likely keeps changing the vehicles he use, said Ortiz.
He warned those harboring or aiding Prevendido that they face charges such as obstruction of justice.
“Alam ko may connection pa rin sya sa pamilya nya,” said Ortiz.
Ortiz assured the public that despite the attempts to mislead policemen and PDEA, authorities were checking every information they receive on the suspect’s whereabouts.
“Lahat na mga areas pinupuntahan natin,” Ortiz told Panay News.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) confirmed receiving a lot of tips on the suspect’s whereabouts.
“We are verifying these tips. Ang dami,” said Senior Superintendent Harold Tuzon, IPPO director.
The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) received text messages last month claiming that Prevendido was planning to surrender peacefully.
The police took them with a grain of salt.
“Wala man nagpakilala ang sender. But if Prevendido indeed wanted to surrender, we welcome this,” said Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of the PRO-6.
According to the texter, Prevendido feared he would be harmed or killed.
The anonymous texter started contacting the PRO-6 after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the resumption of the police’s Oplan Double Barrel against drug traffickers, said Gorero.
Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles, regional police director, had been publicly urging Prevendido to surrender since December last year “so he won’t be harmed.”
A lot of suspected members of the Prevendido drug group were caught in recent months, including the “high-value” Bonie Prevendido Gregori, Richard’s nephew and son of the barangay captain of Bakhaw, Mandurriao, Remia Prevendido Gregori.
Prevendido became so careful not to get caught, said Tuzon, because the suspect was afraid that even relatives and associates would turn against him.
“The reward for his arrest is so big. Many are surely interested to catch him alive,” said Tuzon.
According to another nephew and arrested drug suspect Ednie Jimena, his uncle Richard had protectors from the police and PDEA but did not give any name.
If Jimena were to be believed, two former PDEA personnel received a P20,000 payola from Prevendido every 15th day of the month./PN
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