THE Provincial Intelligence Branch of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) has launched a manhunt against a former policeman who figured in a shootout in Cordova, Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 9, 2019.
CPPO Director Roderick Mariano said Lowel “Boyet” Pacallago was in the drug watchlist since 2016 and even before he became absent without official leave (Awol).
Mariano said that while Pacallago was still assigned at the City Intelligence Bureau of the Lapu-Lapu Police Office, he was already involved in selling illegal drugs.
The CPPO director said that since Pacallago went Awol, his illegal drug business did not stop. It even further expanded in the past months.
“I think that’s the reason he was Awol. It’s because he was in the watchlist. It just so happened that after a series of follow-up operations, he happened to be one of the subjects of the buy-bust,” said Police Regional Office 7 Chief Debold Sinas.
Pacallago, who joined the police service in 2008, was the subject of the police operation in Cordova on Wednesday that resulted in the death of two people and the arrest of another two.
Pacallago and another person were able to elude arrest.
Sinas said that based on their surveillance, Pacallago’s group supplies illegal drugs in Cordova town.
He added that they are also checking the other members of Pacallago’s group. FROM AYB OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / MVG