Iloilo City's alleged top drug lord and a companion were killed in a police operation in Barangay Balabago, Jaro town on Friday night, police said.

Serving a warrant of arrest against Richard Prevendido, police said they were met by a volley of fire which resulted in a firefight.

"As a result Richard Prevendido and his male companion later on identified as Jason Prevendido based on recovered identification card were killed," said an initial police report. The PNP later said Jason was Richard's nephew.

The Prevendido Group is one of the two major drug groups in Iloilo, said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella in a statement.

"The incident shows the enormous risk our police officers face each time warrants are implemented against high-value targets," added Abella.

Recovered from the scene were one AK45 assault rifle, 2 caliber.45 pistols, bladed weapons and sachets of suspected shabu, an initial police report said.

Investigation is going on and inquest on site is on progress, the report added.

In an interview on dzRH, Senior Superintendent Marlon Tayaba, Iloilo provincial police director, said the death of Richard Prevendido is "a big blow on the illegal drugs operation."

"This is a big blow on the operation in illegal drugs in Iloilo and Western Visayas because Richard Prevendido has contact with drug lords and he is the one shipping drugs to his region," said Tayaba.

Tayaba said they are looking into the "possible involvement of police officers because Richard Prevendido was able to hide for a long time." "He could not be touched that is why our operation became compartmentalized with selected police operatives," said Tayaba. DMS