[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Drug lords’ minions hiding – PDEA’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Relentless antidrug operations have forced the minions of suspected drug lords Melvin “Boyet” Odicta Sr. and Richard Prevendido to go into hiding, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6.
But the Odicta and Prevendido drug groups continue to operate, admitted PDEA regional deputy director Levi Ortiz.
“As of now nagtatago sila,” said Ortiz, referring to the subgroup leaders of Prevendido and Odicta.
Even Prevendido himself could not be found anymore, said Ortiz.
PDEA is hunting down these subgroup leaders, confirmed Ortiz but he declined to identify them.
“Hindi namin pwedeng sabihin kung ilang personalities ang target namin baka ma-aware sila. But definitely may roon talagang subgroup leaders si Odicta na involve pa sa illegal activities,” said Ortiz in a radio interview.
Odicta was killed by still unidentified assassins in Malay, Aklan last month.
According to Ortiz, the subgroup leaders were hiding “outside Iloilo.”
“’Yung Prevendido group existing pa rin ‘yan at tinututokan namin. In fact, ‘yung Bakhaw, isa ‘yan sa talagang tinututokan namin,” he said.
Barangay Bakhaw in Mandurriao district is where Prevendido resides. But he has not been seen in the village for several months now.
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso visited the Prevendido residence just this Aug. 16 but the suspected drug lord wasn’t there.
PDEA has classified Barangay Bakhaw a drug haven. The village has been the subject of numerous antidrug raids.
Just last week, PDEA and the police arrested the two trusted aides of Odicta – Ken Mark Pineda, 29, of Barangay Infante, Molo district and Marque Acap Sr. of Barangay Cagbang, Oton, Iloilo.
The Iloilo Police Provincial Office bared that the Odicta and Prevendido groups have subgroups operating in the province – the Bolivar and Labata groups.
The Bolivar subgroup was under the Prevendido group while the Labata subgroup was affiliated with the Odicta group, said Senior Superintendent Roderick Augustus Alba, IPPO director./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
