[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=’Prevendido’s minions keep drug trade alive, says PDEA’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
ILOILO City – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 admitted it has not fully crushed the group of suspected drug lord Richard Prevendido.
The fugitive codenamed “Buang” is on the run but his minions are sustaining his group’s operation, according to Regional Director Gil Pabilona.
This was contrary to the claim of Pabilona’s deputy, Levi Ortiz, last month that the Prevendido drug group was nothing more than a name, “Kasi lahat sila may pending warrants of arrest…Paano pa sila makapagpalawak ng negosyo kapag on the run sila.”
Pabilona told city hall reporters Prevendido is, indeed, not anymore directly involved in his group’s operation but his subordinates are sustaining their drug trafficking business.
“The other members in our target list, we are still looking for them. We’re not resting until we get them,” said Pabilona.
The director also confirmed PDEA has received more tips on Prevendido’s whereabouts.
“It is just that we’re receiving conflicting information. We need to validate each information,” he said.
The monetary reward for Prevendido’s capture has risen to a million pesos.
Pabilona’s assessment of the Prevendido drug group’s operation jibed with that of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
According to Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of the regional police command, the group managed to recruit new members following the arrest of several of Prevendido’s trusted lieutenants.
These new group members are the ones now distributing shabu in Iloilo city and province, said Gorero.
Still, according to Pabilona, the supply of shabu in Western Visayas has substantially dropped.
“That’s because the major players are on the run. They are no longer staying in Iloilo City,” he said.
So where is Prevendido, a resident of Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district?
Gorero admitted the PRO-6 was uncertain of the suspect’s whereabouts but he stressed the intelligence community was at work trying to find him.
Prevendido was charged with violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 following the raid of his house October last year.
Law enforcers hunting Prevendido must capture him alive, according to the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) that has joined in the search.
“He has to answer the charges filed against him in court,” said Senior Superintendent Harold Tuzon, IPPO director./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
