Probe ordered on ‘Dragon’ slay

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dig deeper into the killings of alleged drug lord Melvin Odicta and his wife Meriam at the Caticlan jetty port in Malaya, Aklan last Monday.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella yesterday said the PNP has created a special task group under Western Visayas police director Chief Supt. Jose Gentiles.

Abella said the PNP is looking into the matter as he noted that every individual’s life is important.

“The director of the Western Visayas region police has said that they do value the life of every individual and respect due process,” he added.

Police Regional Office 6 (PRO 6) created Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Odicta, headed by Senior Supt. John Mitchell Jamili, Aklan police provincial director.

Senior Supt. Alfredo Valdez, deputy regional director, said the task group would coordinate all investigation units involved in the case.

Gentiles said they are looking for additional witnesses and evidence in order to to identify the attackers.

Operatives of PRO-6 are investigating if the Odicta murders were the result of a double-cross among members of drug syndicates.

Supt. Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesman, said that one of the possible motives of the killings was Odicta’s alleged disclosure of the list of drug dealers in the region that the couple supposedly submitted to Interior Secretary Ismael Sueño.

Odicta, alias Dragon, was considered one of the top drug lords in Western Visayas.

Odicta, accompanied by his wife and their lawyers, met Sueño last Thursday and denied involvement in drug trafficking.

Odicta’s lawyer Gualberto Cataluña said Odicta was still alive as he was brought to the hospital by policemen who rushed to the jetty port after the couple were attacked.

Gentiles said that there are many possible masterminds and those connected to the couple are reportedly expecting the same fate as the Odictas.

“PRO 6 values the life of every individual and respects human rights and due process of law. We appeal to the public, whoever has direct knowledge of the incident to come out and help our investigation so that justice will prevail,” he added.

Meanwhile, Jamili clarified the accusation that responding policemen allegedly handcuffed Melvin.

“It’s not true. They were not the suspects in the incident at all and the gestures of the police are to save the lives of the couple if it is possible, by bringing them to the hospital,” he added.

Autopsy

Based on autopsy conducted on the couple, Odicta sustained four gunshot wounds while his wife was shot in the back.

Melvin had gunshot injuries on the head, chest, buttock and leg.

Supt. Owen Lebaquin, medico-legal officer of the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory, said Meriam was shot not at close range.

“She was shot from a distance of more than three feet,” he added.

Melvin, on the other hand, was also shot from a distance except for the gunshot to the head.

“His head injury was shot from close range, which is within three feet,” Lebaquin said, but clarified that it was not point-blank.

Melvin’s chest injuries were the fatal wounds.

He said two different slugs were taken from Melvin while no slug was recovered from Meriam since the bullet went through her stomach just above her navel.

Three alleged companions of Odicta were arrested after unlicensed guns were discovered in their vehicle at the Batangas City port last Monday afternoon.

Those arrested were identified as Marlon Susano, Manolito Susano and Maria Victoria Layco.

Investigators are verifying reports that the three are members of the Odicta drug ring in Aklan.

The suspects were on board two vehicles – a Toyota coaster and a Toyota Grandia – with no license plates. Police searched the vehicles and found a caliber .45 pistol and one 9 mm pistol. The suspects, who are now in police custody, failed to show pertinent documents for the guns.

Police report said elements of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) had received information on Sunday morning that a group of armed men onboard two vehicles were going to the port of Batangas on Monday.

The two vehicles were already loaded onto a ferryboat bound for Caticlan in Malay, Aklan when police intercepted them.  – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Ed Amoroso, Jennifer Rendon