MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

IT had to take intensive and challenging operation to hunt down Ronnie Dayan.

This was how P/Sr. Supt. Ronald Oliver Lee, acting- Provincial Police Director, described the operation that was launched to arrest Dayan, the former driver-bodyguard and lover of Senator Leila de Lima, since Congress issued an arrest warrant against him for not appearing in the congressional hearing more than a month ago.

Lee confirmed that the search for Dayan, who was tagged as the senator’s bagman in the drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison, went as far as Angeles City, Quezon City, Tarlac, La Union and towns in Pangasinan.

He said the break came through after an informant gave the information that Dayan was seen in Sitio Bato, Barangay Lacong in the mountainous town of San Gabriel in La Union.

It was then when the search operation of the regional police office focused in the area.

The intensified search and surveillance started in the cement plant where Raul Dayan, Ronnie’s brother, resides.

It was Jomar, son of Raul, who was discretely tailed by operatives that led the team to a secluded area where a newly built nipa house stood. It was where Ronnie was hiding.

The area is owned by the uncle of Jomar ‘s wife.

Three days before Dayan was arrested, police cordoned the area and set up a checkpoint to prevent him from slipping out.

Lee said they started to close in on Dayan Sunday morning in the mountainous area of Sitio Bato, Dayan was not inside the kubo. The operatives were told Dayan had left.

They traced and chased Dayan up to Sitio Turod, at a rice field downhill of Sitio Bato where Dayan finally stopped and raised his hands to surrender.

Lee said, Dayan’s family was contacted earlier before attempting to corner him to possibly help intervene if needed.

“He was clearly weak, and realized he was cornered and had no way out. When he raised his hands, we allowed his family to get to him first to allay his fears,” Lee recounted.

When he faced his captors, Lee said Dayan looked very haggard and weak, like he had not eaten and slept, and his feet had wounds evidently from running.

Dayan later admitted he was suffering from acute arthritis in his knees and feet.

Dayan was later turned over by PRO1 Regional Director Ricardo Pimentel, Provincial Director of La Union and Lee to PNP Chief P/DG Ronald dela Rosa. (Nora Dominguez)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments