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[av_heading heading=’BINAG: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED More ops vs drugs after Prevendido death ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY SILUBRICO
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Sunday, September 3, 2017
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ILOILO City – Western Visayas police director Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag used a red marker to write an “X” on a photo of drug lord Richard “Buang” Prevendido posted on a whiteboard.
“Mission accomplished,” he told the press and other police officers present at the news conference yesterday in Camp Martin Delgado, headquarters of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Prevendido – the region’s most wanted man – was shot and killed in a police operation in a subdivision in Barangay Balabago, Jaro district on Friday night.
The “X” meant Prevendido had been “neutralized.” And Binag warned they were not done hunting down drug offenders.
“With Prevendido’s death, I should say, mission accomplished,” he said. “But our campaign against illegal drugs and drug groups in the region is not yet over.”
“In fact, we have the next targets,” he added. “Hindi tayo hihinto. Patuloy ang ating pakikipaglaban sa droga at mga durogista.”
Binag lauded the police units behind the operation, which he described as a product of good intelligence and community support. Their hard work paid off, he said.
Operatives from the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) and the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) staged the operation in a house in Phase 4, Landheights Subdivision around 8:30 p.m.
They said they were out to serve Prevendido a warrant of arrest but he put up a fight. “Bina-bang namin iyong pintuan, pinaputukan kami,” IPPO director Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba earlier said.
Prevendido’s son Jason (not nephew Ariel, as earlier reported) was also killed in the operation.
Judge Daniel Antonio Gerardo Amular of the Regional Trial Court Branch 35 issued on Jan. 6 the arrest warrant against Prevendido for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“We have been praying for this,” Binag said of the operation. “Thank you, Lord, for answering our prayers.”
Over the past months, police raiding teams swooped down on various areas where Prevendido was possibly hiding, but to no avail:
- Crystal Cove Beach Resort in Barangay Igcadlum, San Joaquin, Iloilo, owned by Maria Mae Gregori, Prevendido’s niece and daughter of Barangay Captain Remia Gregori of Bakhaw, Mandurriao, Iloilo City
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Prevendido’s rest house in Barangay Daragan, Buenavista, Guimaras, and Barangay Tacay in the same town
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a fighting cock farm in Barangay Camiros, Anilao, Iloilo
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Deca Homes Subdivision in Barangay Pandac, Pavia, Iloilo
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Barangay Abilay, Oton, Iloilo
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Barangay Pitogo, San Joaquin
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Barangay Sibariwan, Dumarao, Capiz
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barangays Dabong and Atimonan in Janiuay, Iloilo
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Barangay Cabatangan, Lambunao, Iloilo
But in April, police started receiving reports from informants that Prevendido was in Balabago, Jaro, Tayaba said.
“Information from our asset were consistent with community reports,” he said. “Unfortunately, he (Prevendido) died with his son.”
Among the recoveries were a .45 pistol, two .38 revolvers, an AK-47, four cellphones, assorted ammunition, four laptop computers, two sachets of shabu, eight bolos, several jewelry items, a wallet containing an identification card of Jason Prevendido, and a crossbow.
Superintendent Julius Balano and Senior Inspector Jigger Gimeno led the RID team while Senior Superintendent Jesus Cambay headed the ICPO unit during the operation.
Citing his initial investigation, Tayaba said the Landheights house that Prevendido had been renting for about eight months was owned by an Espinosa family. He said the house owner might face charges for harboring a fugitive.
Meanwhile, Binag said the P1.1-million bounty will be given to their informants.
The PRO-6, which promised P100,000, had yet to account the number of reward recipients as of this writing.
The Iloilo provincial government and Iloilo City government promised P500,000 each.
“Ibibigay natin ang reward sa mga taong tumulong sa atin para makuha natin si Prevendido,” Binag said./PN
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