Peña recommends reward for PS3 commander

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) asset surfaced before members of the media yesterday afternoon recounting the operation that led to the death of wanted Bacolod City drug lord Ramie Poja.

In a press conference organized by PDEA consultant, Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña, the asset, who identified himself by the alias ‘Ricky,’ said they were “planted” by the agency at Purok Sibucao in Barangay Banago two months ago in order to monitor Poja’s drug operations.

During the time, they determined Poja had at least seven to 10 houses in the area, all of which were connected by tunnel systems, hidden passageways, trap doors, or well-concealed hiding spots, enabling the drug lord to elude capture a number of times.

Information regarding drug-related transactions carried out by Poja was forwarded to PDEA agents and Peña’s office.

During the monitoring, Ricky and a number of other assets deployed to the area observed Poja typically leaves his residence between 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. every day in order to collect money from other drug suspects and to acquire his supply from couriers.

Ricky said he also reported to the Philippine Army, as they also deployed assets in the area.

The asset became acquainted with a number of Poja’s men after conducting “test-buying operations” in an effort to gain their trust.

Early Thursday morning, Ricky claimed he informed Police Station 3 (PS3) commander, Police Senior Inspector Victor Paulino, of Poja’s presence.

As they were heading to one of Poja’s residence, the cops and the drug lord’s group stumbled upon each other and a gun battle ensued.

Ricky affirmed it was Paulino who critically wounded Poja; however, Paulino was also struck during the gun battle, which was later determined to be a graze wound.

The PDEA asset, alongside other PS3 cops, later withdrew, in order to bring Paulino and the wounded civilians to the hospital, further assuring the police commander that Poja would not go anywhere despite the critical wounds he sustained.

Poja was eventually killed that afternoon after police and PDEA agents stormed the residence he was hiding in, which also resulted in the death of Robert Lim, a high-value drug target; and the arrests of Rusty Poja Constantino, Cyril Jarina, and Poja’s reported lover Claudine Bindol.

In response to the successful operation, Peña said Poja had been a difficult target for police since the administrations of the now-retired Police Chief Superintendents Conrado Capa and Renato Gumban.

He said there was also a possibility that Poja may have been colluding with several Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) cops, who would alert him whenever anti-drug operatives conducted an operation against him.

Peña also claimed former Berya drug group bagman Ricky Serenio participated in helping capture Poja by sending his own assets to the area to gather more information, but their covers were blown in a botched drug deal, which resulted to their deaths at the hands of Poja.

The PDEA consultant also openly criticized Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia for not doing enough to address the illegal drugs problem in the city.

However, he strongly urged the mayor to reward Paulino for his actions in neutralizing the local drug lord./DGB, WDJ