By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
A high-value target drug personality managed to elude police last Saturday morning following raid by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Regional Intelligence Unit-Region VI (RIU-6), the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU), and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) at Purok Sibucao in Barangay Banago, Bacolod City.
Two other drug personalities, identified as Roberto Rodriguez and Steve Libo-on, both residents of Purok Abkasa in Barangay Mandalagan of the said city, were apprehended by law enforcement.
According to police, the operation began at 5:30 a.m., intended to serve a warrant of arrest to the target, Ramie Poja. The suspect is wanted on drug-related charges.
PDEA agents sealed all entry and exit points in the area, while CIDG operatives tried to enter Poja’s residence. However, the suspect allegedly threw two grenades, which did not explode, as the pin had not been removed from the explosives.
Several firecrackers, called “kwitis,” were also used, signaling other nearby drug suspects of a police presence.
Rodriguez and Libo-on, meanwhile, were later cornered. The former reportedly poured gasoline on himself and set himself on fire in an attempt to evade arrest.
PDEA agents managed to save Rodriguez and rushed him to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) after suffering third degree burns across his body.
After the site was cleared, authorities recovered a total of three sachets of suspected shabu, one medium-sized sachet of suspected shabu, drug paraphernalia, a .45 caliber pistol, a magazine for an M16 assault rifle, various live ammunition for different caliber of firearms, and six live 12-gauge shotgun ammunition.
Grace Cruz, PDEA-Negros Occidental officer-in-charge, meanwhile, said, based on their intelligence, Poja sold one kilo of shabu every week.
She also confirmed Poja is on the national high-value target list.
Police and anti-drug operatives are presently conducting a manhunt operation against Poja, whom they also tagged as a “local drug lord” in Bacolod City./DGB, WDJ
