Link between Mabilog, Prevendido not clear: Dela Rosa

September 2, 2017

The Philippine National Police (PNP) could not say if there a connection between Iloilo City mayor Jed Mabilog and alleged drug lord Richard Prevendido, who was killed in a firefight as cops tried to serve an arrest warrant in Jaro town on Friday.

"I am not sure but presumably they know each other since they are both natives of Iloilo but for us to say he is connected to Mayor Mabilog, we can't establish that," said PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa in a radio interview at dzBB on Saturday.

Dela Rosa said the connection between Mabilog and Melvin Odicta, who was killed with his wife in August 2016, is certain.

"What we can establish is the connection between Mayor Mabilog and Odicta, who was the number one drug lord then. It turned out that the mayor was protecting Odicta," said Dela Rosa.

Mabilog, who was allowed by the Department of Interior and Local Government to go on official business to Japan last August 31, is in the list of narcopoliticians of President Rodrigo Duterte

Dela Rosa said the serving of the warrant was above board but the police, led by the Iloilo provincial office and the Western Visayas cops, encountered resistance.

"Prevendido decided to resist because he has never surrendered to the police. He did not show himself. The big ones surrendered but he never showed himself," said Dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa said there were five drug lords in Western Visayas, but three surrendered to the PNP while Odicta and Prevendido were killed. Police are monitoring if these three drug lords are still active. DMS