BY JEN BAYLON
ILOILO – In a major breakthrough, law enforcement in Western Visayas successfully apprehended the region’s No. 4 most wanted person as well as three provincial-level and one city-level wanted persons.
Personnel of the Sibalom Municipal Police Station (MPS) tracker team, with support from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Antique, Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU), and Provincial Investigation Detection and Management Unit, arrested alias “Melchor” in Barangay Villahermosa, Sibalom, on Nov. 30.
Melchor, who had been listed as the No. 4 most wanted person at both the regional and provincial levels, as well as No. 3 at the municipal level, was wanted for the crimes of rape and lascivious conduct.
Warrants of arrest signed by Hon. Ernesto Labio Abijay, Jr., Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 10 in San Jose, Antique, each carried a recommended bail of P180,000.
Following his arrest, Melchor is now in the custody of Sibalom police, awaiting further legal proceedings.
On the same day, Antique’s No. 5 most wanted person and No. 1 at the municipal level was apprehended. Alias “Rick” was served with an arrest warrant for rape signed by Abijay on Nov. 24 with no bail recommended.
He was arrested by the tracker team of Belison MPS and Antique PIU at about 4:30 p.m. in Sitio Catwayan, Barangay Poblacion, Patnongon.
On Nov. 29, alias “Troy,” tagged as No. 3 most wanted in Antique and No. 2 at the municipal level, was arrested.
The tracker team of Sibalom MPS and Antique PIU cornered him in Barangay District Il, Sibalom, with an arrest warrant for rape signed by Abijay dated Nov. 8, with a recommended bail of P200,000.
Meanwhile, Iloilo City’s Police Station 4, together with the Anti-Kidnapping Group, Iloilo Maritime Police, and Philippine Coast Guard, arrested alias “Rhonie” on Nov. 28 on Jocson Street, Barangay San Pedro in Molo district.
He was tagged as the No. 8 most wanted in the city for three counts of rape.
Hon. Juana Judita Patriarca Panigbatan-Nafarrete of RTC, Branch 38 in Iloilo City, signed his arrest warrant on the same day, with no bail recommended.
On Nov. 27 in Iloilo, joint elements of the Batad MPS tracker team, together with President Roxas MPS and Maayon MPS, arrested the No. 5 most wanted at the provincial level.
Rufo Diel Salazar was served with an arrest warrant for murder issued by Hon. Jose Mauricio E. Gomez of RTC 6, Branch 66 in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, on the same day with no bail recommended.
The successful operations were commended by Brigadier General Sidney N. Villaflor, regional director of Police Regional Office 6.
“This demonstrates the dedication of our police force in ensuring that justice is served for the victims of crimes. Let us not cease in pursuing those who defy the law so that we can live in a peaceful, safe, and fearless society,” Villaflor stated./PN