THE top most wanted persons (TMWP) of Apayao and Kalinga were captured while four suspected drug pushers were arrested on November 4 in separate manhunt operations launched by different units of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera.
Apayao's number 8 TMWP identified as Calvin Masula, 38, farmer, was arrested for attempted murder in Barangay Lappa in Luna by joint personnel of Luna Municipal Police Station (MPS), and intelligence and investigation personnel of Apayao Provincial Police Office (PPO).
Kalinga's fifth TMWP identified as Edelio Baawa, 47, was arrested in his residence in Buaya, Balbalan, Kalinga for attempted parricide.
Both Masula and Baawa have recommended bail bond of P120,000.
Police Brigadier General Israel Ephraim Dickson, PRO-Cordillera director, said all arrested individuals are now under the custody of the police.
He lauded the operating units.
"May the continuous arrest of wanted persons and drug personalities send a message to all outlaws that Cordillera is not a safe refuge for them. We will hunt them down and eventually put them in jail," Dickson said.
Meanwhile, in a drug bust conducted by the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), three drug suspects were separately arrested after they sold shabu to the operatives who acted as poseur buyer.
Jessie Puruganan, 40, a resident of Upper Balsigan, and Anthony Castillo alias Tulig, 42, a resident of Kisad Road, Baguio City, were pinned down in Barangay Upper Balsigan after they conspired to vend a sachet containing 3.8 grams of shabu worth P23,137.2 to one of the operatives who posed as a buyer.
During the operation, two more sachets containing shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia and buy-bust money were confiscated and recovered from their possession.
Emil Jay Navalta, 21, a resident of Purok 2 Padre Zamora, was caught in Purok 19 San Carlos Heights, Irisan, Baguio City. Seized from his possession were one heat-sealed plastic sachet of shabu weighing more or less 0.3 grams worth P1,000 and P1,000 buy-bust money.
The Benguet police also arrested another drug pusher identified as Manny Rex Sales, 34, in Shamolog, Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet.
The confiscated evidence include two sachets of shabu, P1,000 buy-bust money and one cellphone. (SunStar Baguio)