POLICE officers who carried out legitimate operation against alleged top drug lord in Iloilo City were confronted by "enormous risk," Malacañang said Saturday.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Richard Prevendido, head of one of the two major drug groups in Iloilo City, reportedly resisted arrest when the policemen were serving arrest warrant against him last Friday night.
"Iloilo City's reportedly most wanted drug personality, Richard Prevendido, was neutralized in a firefight last Friday evening. The incident occurred when the suspect, head of the Prevendido Group, one of the two major drug groups in Iloilo, resisted arrest," Abella said in a statement read over government-owned dzRB.
"The incident shows the enormous risk our police officers face each time warrants are implemented against high-value targets," he added.
Iloilo cops were serving a warrant of arrest against Prevendido for alleged violation of provisions of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act when he reportedly offered resistance.
Prevendido was reportedly gunned down after he allegedly exchanged fire in an abandoned house at the Land Heights subdivision in Balabago village in Jaro, Iloilo City.
Authorities recovered one AK-47 assault rifle, two caliber 45 guns, bladed weapons, and sachets of suspected shabu.
Prevendido's killing came on the heels of the new assignment of Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido as head of Iloilo City Police Office.
Espenido was the chief of Ozamiz City police when town mayor Reynaldo Parojinog was killed in a drug raid.
He was also the police head of Albuera, Leyte when town mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was arrested in October 2016 for alleged drug involvement and later on slain in his detention cell in November the same year.
Abella said the police authorities are now conducting an investigation regarding the slay of Prevendido.
"Police authorities are now investigating the incident and will provide update once information becomes available," he said. (VoxPop Philippines)
