Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) director, Police Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, ordered the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) to capture “local drug lord” Ramie Poja, who earlier evaded arrest when the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) raided his residence at Purok Sibucao in Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, intending to serve a warrant of arrest against him.

According to Binag, there is no reason for police to stop pursuing Poja, pointing out their previous success in neutralizing Iloilo-based drug lord Richard Prevendido and arresting Arturo Balume, Sr., leader of the Balume drug group, in Hinoba-an last year.

The PRO-6 chief indicated his “annoyance” with Poja’s presence in the province, revealing the local drug lord also eluded arrest on a prior occasion.

Poja reportedly escaped after he allegedly threw two grenades at police over the weeked, 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.

The operation, however, ended in the arrest of Roberto Rodriguez and Steve Libo-on, whom police believe to be working for Poja in the illegal drug trade./DGB, WDJ