Alleged drug lord, wife gunned down in Aklan

Rody: He was a drug lord whose luck ran out

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Three days after turning himself in to authorities to deny his links to illegal drugs, a businessman was mortally wounded by gunmen who also shot dead his wife shortly after the couple disembarked from a vessel at a port in Malay, Aklan before dawn yesterday.

Melvin Odicta Sr. and his wife Meriam had just disembarked from a 2Go roll-on-roll-off vessel at the Caticlan Jetty Port when the attack occurred at around 1:30 a.m.

The vessel came from the Port of Batangas.

Odicta, also known by the moniker “Dragon,” was earlier identified by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 (PDEA-6) as one of two top drug dealers operating mainly in the province of Iloilo.

Reacting to the death of Odicta, President Duterte said the victim was really a drug lord whose luck had run out.

“Odicta was hunted, inabot talaga siya ng malas. Sino gustong sumunod dito kay Odicta (Who wants to follow Odicta)?” Duterte said at the wake of a policeman in Samar.

Odicta, accompanied by his wife and their lawyers, showed up at the office of Interior Secretary Ismael Sueño last Thursday to deny accusations he was into illegal drugs.

Malay police said port security guards reported the shooting at 1:23 a.m. 

Aklan police chief Senior Supt. John Mitchell Jamili said it was the responding policemen who brought the Odictas to the Malay Municipal Hospital.

Reports said the gunmen first fired on Meriam, who was hit in the back. Her husband sustained bullet wounds in the head, chest and leg.

Odicta family lawyer Gualberto Cataluña said the businessman was still alive as he was brought to the hospital by the police.

He said they were waiting at the jetty port’s gate when they heard gunshots.

He said he was even talking to Meriam over the phone during the attack. Odicta, Cataluña said, managed to call him to say he had been hit in the leg.

Odicta was reportedly able to walk as he was assisted to the patrol car, and even managed to raise his wounded leg.

Cataluña said he was surprised to learn that Odicta had died of gunshot wounds at the hospital.

He said the jetty port was cordoned off immediately after the shooting.

Cataluña said there was a checkpoint outside the port before the vessel arrived. He said he and his companions even went around to check the faces of people in the vicinity.

“We wonder why the checkpoint disappeared after the shooting of the Odictas,” he said in Filipino.

He added they tried to follow the police car carrying the Odictas to Kalibo Hospital but were surprised to learn the victims were brought to the Malay Hospital instead.

“When we went back to Malay, we were shocked to learn they had died. We asked the doctor – the two were no longer handcuffed – they said they’re DOA,” he said.

The lawyer said he was with the Odictas during their meeting with Sueño at Camp Crame.

“We were listening when they were talking with Sueño. They were making denial,” he said.

He said the couple had been advised by the police director in Iloilo to see PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa after they were linked to drugs by PDEA.

Cataluña said he had advised Odicta against going to Manila. He said he asked Odicta to see Dela Rosa instead in Iloilo City as the latter was set to visit the city anyway, and request for security from the PNP chief. 

He said he would later learn the businessman had gone ahead to Manila.

Cataluña said the couple had no child of their own but they had children from their previous relationships. 

Chief Insp. Mark Evan Salvo, Malay police chief, said he immediately ordered the setting up of checkpoint to prevent the attackers from leaving the area.

He said there was only one gunman but Jamili claimed there were two.

The couple was gunned down yesterday at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Aklan.

Cataluña and another of their lawyers Raymond Fortun were to fetch the couple from the port.

Quoting Jamili, Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos, spokesman for the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the couple had walked some 100 meters from the ferry when they were attacked. 

He said doctors tried to revive the victims.

“Aklan and Malay are now working to arrest the gunmen,” he added. “Well, let us look for the official statement, mahirap mag assume.”

Carlos said the PNP is now verifying information the Odictas were initially accosted by police at the Batangas port for illegal possession of firearms.

The PNP spokesman said the victims were not declared dead on arrival since the staff at the Malay Hospital still managed to perform medical procedures on the couple.

Fortun said they are gathering more information about the incident.

“The Odictas are good people,” he said, as he urged the media to closely follow the case. 

In a text message, the Police Regional Office 6 through spokesman Supt. Gilbert Gorero “expressed deepest sympathy to the bereaved Odicta family and condemns the shooting incident that transpired at Caticlan, Malay, Aklan resulting in the death of the couple.”

“We appeal to the public who has direct knowledge of the incident to come out to the open and help in our investigation so that justice will prevail,” he added.

Gorero said PRO-6 acting regional director Chief Supt. Jose Gentiles has ordered Jamili to “conduct in-depth investigation to identify the suspects and effect their immediate arrest and to file the necessary case in court.”

Dela Rosa also condemned the killings, saying the Odictas should have been tried in court.

In Catbalogan, Samar, Duterte said Odicta met his tragic fate “because it was his choice.”

“So, I cannot say anything good or bad because it was his choice,” the President said partly in Filipino.

“He was corrupting everybody, including the governor. There is one governor here in the Visayas that – I named him before. If you do not believe me, go to Cebu and try to find time to talk to him. Even his speech – he was already dysfunctional, ” he added.

His previous announcement of a list of government officials “involved in illicit drug trade” did not include a governor from the Visayas. – Giovanni Nilles