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BY RUBY SILUBRICO
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Wednesday, December 28, 2016
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ILOILO City – Major police units in Western Visayas were scouring the region for the suspected leader of the Prevendido drug group.
Police also sought help from the community in searching for Richard Prevendido.
“We are willing to give a (cash) reward to whoever can lead us to Prevendido’s hiding place,” said Senior Superintendent Harold Tuzon, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director. He did not disclose the amount.
The hunt for the alleged drug lord was proving to be a challenge.
Acting on a tip, IPPO operatives swooped down on what they believed was Prevendido’s hideout on Sunday but did not find him there.
Tuzon did not disclose the area but said it was in northern Iloilo.
Police had also been receiving information that Prevendido was hiding in hotels and pension houses in the city.
“Nag-conduct kami ng operation [based sa] lahat na information na pumasok, baka sakaling mahuli natin,” said Tuzon.
Police were not giving up. “I ordered all (Iloilo) chiefs of police to send men to get information on the field by closely coordinating with barangay officials, among others,” said Tuzon.
Other police units that had been mobilized to hunt for Prevendido were the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Regional Intelligence Office and the Regional Special Operations Group.
Tuzon appealed to the public: “Let us help each other arrest the top drug personality in the region.”
Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles, regional police director, had vowed to catch Prevendido before 2016 ends. The new year starts on Sunday next week.
Not only government forces were hunting Prevendido down but also his own group members and other criminal gangs, Gentiles claimed. “Marami na ang mga naghahanap sa kanya kasi marami siyang alam.”
Meanwhile the Iloilo City Police Office director said they were zeroing in on all areas where Prevendido may seek refuge — including the latter’s house in Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district.
Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso believes Prevendido’s relatives were coddling the suspected drug lord.
“I believe ginatago sia sang iya mga relatives and family,” he said. “But I appeal them to turn Prevendido in for his safety.”
Canieso warned that anyone coddling Prevendido will be slapped with criminal charges.
Earlier Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency assistant regional director Levi Ortiz admitted that Prevendido was hard to catch.
“He was constantly moving,” said Ortiz. “We even received reports that he already left Western Visayas.”
But he was confident the suspected drug lord will be arrested soon.
“’Pag hindi siya mag-surrender, baka madisgrasya pa,” Ortiz said. “He can run but he can’t forever hide. Makukuha rin siya. Matiyaga ang mga operatives natin.”
Many suspected members of the Prevendido drug group were caught in recent months, including the “high-value” Bonie Prevendido, Richard’s nephew./PN
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