Police dig deeper into killing of alleged drug cop

A screengrab from a CCTV footage shows one of two motorcycle-riding men shooting retired-SPO2 Rolando Alag on Nov. 20, 2018. VIDEO SCREENGRAB

ILOILO CITY — The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) has ordered an in-depth investigation into the killing of a retired policeman who allegedly had links to a slain drug lord.

Chief Supt. John Bolalacao, PRO-6 director, directed the investigators to immediately identify and arrest the perpetrators involved in the ambush of SPO2 Rolando Alag on Nov. 20.

Supt. Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said Police Station 1 probers were looking into the killing, adding that footage from nearby close-circuit television cameras would be used in the investigation.

One of two men on a motorcycle opened fire at Alag last Tuesday morning in Barangay Villa Anita, here.

Malong confirmed that Alag was on the drug list of President Duterte as intelligence reports claimed that the retired policeman provided protection to a bigtime drug syndicate.

“He is a high-value target level 2 identified as protector of the Odicta Drug Group,” Malong told reporters here.

Alag was the second person linked to alleged drug lord Melvin Odicta killed in a span of two months.

Lawyer Edeljulio Romero, lawyer of the Odictas, was shot dead in Roxas City, Capiz, on Sept. 28, 2018.

Odicta, the alleged leader of the Odicta Drug Group that used to operate in Western Visayas, was killed with his wife Meriam at the Caticlan Jetty Port in August 2016. The gunman was never identified.

Alag entered the police service on Aug. 6, 1982. He was assigned to the Iloilo City Police Office until he availed of optional retirement on Jan. 31, 2009. /cbb