ILOILO City’s most notorious drug personality, Richard Prevendido, was killed in a firefight last Friday night after allegedly shooting at arresting officers, authorities said Saturday.
Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, meanwhile, would remain as Ozamiz City police chief after his transfer to Iloilo City was canceled, amid protests by Ozamiz City residents objecting to his transfer.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said Espenido would be retained at his current assignment as Ozamiz residents currently protested against his transfer as Ozamiz City councilor Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog remained at large.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier raised the bounty on Parojinog’s head at P5 million, for allegedly using law enforcers to silence those who defied their power.
Prevendido, who was a high-value target, operates one of the two major drug groups in Iloilo and is the number 1 most wanted in Western Visayas, Police Sr. Supt. Marlon Tayaba, acting director of the Iloilo Provincial Police, said in a radio dzMM interview.
Dela Rosa on Saturday credited the slay of the alleged No. 1 drug lord in Iloilo to the provincial police office.
Dela Rosa, in an interview on dzBB, made the comment to clear the air of some rumors the killing of Prevendido for resisting arrest was in preparation for the possible assignment of Espenido to Iloilo City.
Coincidentally, Espenido was the chief of police in Albuera, Leyte when suspected drug lord Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed while in detention.
But Police Regional Office Region 6 Director Cesar Binag said Espenido would no longer assume his post as chief of police of Iloilo City.
Binag said Espenido’s “cancellation of reassignment” was ordered by the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame. No reason was stated in the order.
He also reported that Senior Supt. Henry Binas from Negros Oriental would be the one to head the city’s police force.
President Duterte himself had previously announced Espenido’s Iloilo assignment.
The PNP has yet to say if the change in Espenido’s assignment had anything to do with the death of Prevendido.
Binag said the death of Prevendido would substantially reduce the proliferation of illegal drugs in the city.
Authorities were supposed to serve a warrant stemming from Prevendido’s alleged violation of provisions of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 when the alleged drug lord resisted arrest and prompted him to fire against policemen at his believed hideout at Landheights Subdivision in Barangay Balabago, Jaro in Iloilo.
Recovered from Prevendido were an AK45 assault rifle, three caliber .45 guns, bladed weapons, laptops and sachets of around 10 grams of suspected shabu.
Dela Rosa had said the slain drug suspect had an intention to resist arrest after he did not present himself to Camp Crame and had remained in hiding.
The PNP chief said their work on Prevendido came following long-time surveillance against the high-value drug lord, adding the suspects were the only people in the alleged safehouse when they conducted the operation.
Malacañang, meanwhile, said Prevendido’s killing showed risks policemen face against high-value targets.
“The incident shows the enormous risk our police officers face each time warrants are implemented against high-value targets,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said.
Iloilo was dragged into the spotlight after President Duterte ordered Espenido to be transferred to Iloilo City, the place he repeatedly tagged as the “most shabulized” and “bedrock of illegal drugs.” With PNA