By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The motorcycle-riding individuals, who evaded a police checkpoint in Negros Occidental’s Calatrava town on April 22, are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, local town police said.

According to Calatrava Municipal Police Station deputy chief, Police Captain Jesus Alba, the suspects, who ran away from their checkpoint in Barangay Lemery’s Sitio Dao, were job order casual employees of Escalante City local government unit.

The two suspects have already been identified but Alba refused to reveal their names as a follow-up operation is still underway.

Based on the information they received, Alba said the suspects were allegedly involved in illegal drug activities as the police station had secured several video footage wherein the suspects were spotted in illegal drug sales in San Carlos City.

It is believed that the suspects were heading to Escalante City at the time of the incident.

The two were also not listed on any illegal drug watchlist, Alba said.

He said they are gathering additional evidence against the two.

They plan to file criminal charges against them for “disobedience in person of authority.”

On Saturday, April 22, Police Staff Sergeant Rex Bacan and Patrolman Rofer Villanueva of the town police station accidentally crashed their motorcycle while chasing down the two suspects.

Instead of complying with police, their motorcycle sped off, prompting the two police officers to chase the suspects using their own motorcycles.

The riders were able to escape.

The suspects’ motorcycle, a Honda TMX 155, was later recovered after it was abandoned by them./DGB, WDJ