The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) assured Monday that Jason Ivler is still in the country contrary to radio reports that he has left for New Zealand.

Supt. Lino Banaag, chief of QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), said it’s impossible for Ivler to have left the country.

“The Bureau of Immigration would have known about it if Ivler is no longer in the Philippines,” Banaag said The police official denied radio reports that Ivler fled to New Zealand immediately after the road rage incident last Nov. 18 wherein he allegedly shot and killed Renato Victor Ebarle Jr., 27, the son of Presidential Chief of Staff Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr.

Banaag said he believes those coddling Ivler were responsible for releasing the information that the suspect is no longer in the country.

“It seems that the information was meant to take the heat off Ivler who is having a hard time moving around because authorities are on the hunt against him,” Banaag said.

The police official also said there is an existing hold departure order against Ivler since 2004 when the suspect was charged for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and damage to properties.

In 2004, Ivler, who was driving a Toyota Landcruiser with diplomatic plates 23370, figured in a vehicular collision in Pasig City where presidential adviser on resettlement Nestor Ponce Jr. died while the official’s wife and another person were hurt.

Because of the 2004 incident, Ivler’s Philippine passport was cancelled and his US passport confiscated.