More cops join hunt for Ivler

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila police intelligence agents have joined the manhunt for road rage murder suspect Jason Ivler.

Chief Inspector Benjamin Elenzano, Quezon City police criminal investigation deputy chief, said Ivler, who is wanted for killing Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. during a traffic altercation last Nov. 18, has been very elusive and good at hiding from the police.

Quoting police informants, Elenzano said Ivler moves around different safehouses on a motorcycle for better mobility.

“However, once he is spotted by an informant in a particular safehouse, he would stay there for about 10 to 15 minutes only and move on,” he said.

However, Elenzano said the P500,000 reward put up by the police for Ivler’s arrest would entice more informants to tip off authorities about his whereabouts.

Ivler has been charged with murder after he was tagged in the killing of Ebarle at the corner of Santolan Road and Ortigas Avenue on the night of Oct. 18.

During the investigation, it was found out that Ivler was the same person involved in another traffic incident in 2004 that killed presidential adviser Nestor Ponce. A criminal case is pending against Ivler in relation to the incident.

After seeing Ivler’s photograph on television and newspapers, motorist Manolito Cuya tagged him as the one who threatened him with a gun during a similar traffic altercation on Nov. 17 in New Manila. Quezon City.

Elenzano said the United States embassy has confirmed that Ivler is an American citizen, but did not give any information on his being a member of the military.

Ivler had not communicated with the embassy since 2004, and that the embassy did not know he was in the country, he added.

The embassy only found out that Ivler was in the country when the news about Ebarle’s death came out, Elenzano said. – Reinir Padua