TACLOBAN CITY — Police arrested 13 wanted persons, including the region’s No. 2 most wanted individual, in simultaneous law enforcement operations across Eastern Visayas on Sept. 7 as the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) intensified its campaign against fugitives.
The region’s No. 2 most wanted person was arrested in Julita, Leyte by joint operatives from the Julita Municipal Police Station, Provincial Intelligence Team-Leyte, Regional Intelligence Unit-8, Provincial Intelligence Unit-Leyte and tracker teams from the Taytay Municipal Police Station in Rizal.
The suspect is facing two counts of statutory rape, with no bail recommended by the court.
In Calbayog City, police also arrested the No. 3 Provincial Most Wanted Person of Samar in an intelligence-driven operation.
The suspect was apprehended by personnel of the 1st Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company, Calbayog City Police Station, Regional Intelligence Division-Regional Special Operations Unit 8, WSPFU-CIDG, Provincial Intelligence Unit-Samar and Task Force KAMURAYAW.
The suspect faces a charge of frustrated murder, with bail set at P200,000.
The regionwide operations also resulted in the arrest of 11 other wanted persons facing various criminal charges. Three were arrested in Tacloban City, three in Leyte, three in Samar, one in Eastern Samar and one in Biliran.
PRO-8 said all arrested individuals underwent documentation and processing and were placed under the custody of the respective police units handling their cases.
PRO-8 Regional Director PBGen Romano V. Cardiño commended the participating units for their coordination and efforts in tracking down wanted persons.
“The simultaneous arrest of these wanted individuals reflects our relentless drive to keep Eastern Visayas safe. Let this serve as a stern warning to those evading the law that PRO-8 will not falter in delivering justice to the victims of these crimes,” Cardiño said.
The operations form part of PRO-8’s intensified anti-criminality campaign targeting wanted persons across the region.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
