Drug gang ‘leader’ eludes police anew

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — An alleged illegal drugs gang leader proved once again that he is not a boss for nothing.

Ernesto Bolivar, alias Erning, eluded arrest during an anti-illegal drugs operation carried out by a joint team of police units at 7:30 p.m on November 9 at his house in Barangay Guinacas, Pototan town of Iloilo.

Members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Region 6, the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group Focus Team 6, and the Pototan Police Station conducted the operation against Bolivar.

The suspect was quick to slither out of the anti-narcotics operatives’ grasp the moment he sensed that he was dealing with government authorities.

Recovered during the operation was a large plastic sachet of shabu, which the suspect sold to an undercover agent. Bolivar was able to bring P1,000 buy-bust bills  and the boodle money supposedly worth P14,000.

Based on police reports, Bolivar is the leader of the Bolivar Drug Gang, which is reportedly taking supplies from both the two PDEA-identified drug groups based in Iloilo City: the Prevendido Drug Group and the Odicta Drug Group.

Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-6, said both the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) and the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) considered Bolivar as high value target (HVT) Level 2. “That’s why at the regional level, we considered him as HVT level 3 because he operates both in the city and province of Iloilo,” Gorero said.

Bolivar started to operate actively his own drug group after the killing of Melvin Odicta, leader of the Odicta Drug Group. Aside from Pototan, it was gathered that he is also residing at Barangay Tacas in Jaro, Iloilo City.

On July 12, Bolivar and his alleged cohort, Ricardo Trabuco, alias Sixby, voluntarily turned themselves over to the ICPO, in compliance with the PNP’s Oplan Tokhang campaign. (FREEMAN)