ILOILO City – Western Visayas’ top drug suspect Ernesto “Erning” Bolivar is no longer in the region, according to Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong.
“Bolivar is not active here and his location could not be traced,” she told Panay News, citing a report from the PRO-6’s Regional Intelligence Division. “Ang Western Visayas magamay lang nga lugar so it is easy to locate him if he is still here.”
Sources from the police intelligence community said Bolivar may have moved to Luzon and possibly in the Bicol region.
Despite travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Malong assured the public that the region’s police are still hunting Bolivar down as he has a standing warrant of arrest for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Section 5, Article II).
Malong also said the Bolivar drug group was dismantled three years ago yet, and all suspected members were arrested.
Bolivar was tagged the region’s No. 1 drug personality after the deaths of drug lords Melvin Odicta Sr. who was gunned down on Aug. 28, 2016 at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan and Richard Prevendido on Sept. 1, 2017 in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district here.
Bolivar’s men reportedly used to operate mainly in the central and northern parts of Iloilo province as well as in Capiz.
They were not only into illegal drugs but also into robbery and gun-for-hire services.
Although Bolivar managed to escape from policemen trying to entrap him in a buy-bust operation at his house in Barangay Guinacas, Pototan, Iloilo on Nov. 9, 2016, the police filed a complaint against him (Criminal Case No. 17-8454)./PN
