TWO of Western Visayas’ most wanted individuals were arrested in successive operations by the Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo) late evening of August 19, 2025, and early morning of August 20, 2025.
Alias Paul or Pol, 20, a student and resident of Barangay Calumpang, Molo District, was nabbed at 11:58 p.m. of August 19. He was tagged as the region’s third most wanted individual.
Just 12 minutes later, at 12:10 a.m. on August 20, authorities cornered alias Map or Dido, 19, also a student and resident of Barangay Calumpang, Molo District. He was identified as the region’s seventh most wanted person.
Both were arrested by virtue of separate warrants of arrest for murder issued by Judge Larnie Fleur Bedania Palma-Kim of Regional Trial Court, Branch 26, 6th Judicial Region, Iloilo City.
The court ordered no bail for their temporary liberty.
They are currently under the custody of Iloilo City Police Station (ICPS) 1 pending turnover to the issuing court.
Police Colonel Kim Legada, Icpo director, stressed the importance of the arrests and reminded the youth to avoid criminal activities.
“This is a clear message that crime will only destroy your future. No matter how young or who you are, if you break the law, you will be held accountable. To our youth, choose the right path and stay away from crime. To fugitives, you can run, but you cannot hide, Icpo will never stop until justice is served,” Legada said.
The back-to-back arrests were carried out by the Iloilo City Mobile Force Company, supported by Iloilo City Police Station (ICPS) 4, ICPS 1, the City Intelligence Unit, and the Regional Intelligence Unit in Western Visayas.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, regional director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6), lauded the coordinated operations that resulted in the capture of the fugitives.
“The arrest of these most wanted individuals sends a strong message that PRO 6 will never waver in its mission to pursue fugitives and bring them before the bar of justice. No one is beyond the reach of the law. We remain steadfast in ensuring that those who commit crimes are held accountable, and that peace and order prevail in Western Visayas,” Ligan said.
Authorities stressed that the arrests highlight the PRO 6’s sustained efforts to track down most wanted persons and maintain safety in communities across the region. (Leo Solinap)