OPERATIVES of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6) arrested four of the region’s most wanted persons in separate operations on March 1, 2026, in New Lucena and Passi City, Iloilo province.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, PRO 6 director, commended the arresting units for the accomplishment.
“I commend our personnel for this remarkable job. On the first day of March alone, we were able to arrest four regional most wanted persons. This reflects our unwavering dedication to delivering justice to the victims. We assure the public that we will not stop until all wanted criminals are brought to justice,” Ligan said.
The first operation resulted in the arrest of the region’s first Most Wanted Person (MWP), identified as alias Karl or Anton, 21, a student and a resident of Barangay Bita-og Gaja, New Lucena.
He was arrested at 9:05 a.m. in Barangay Poblacion, New Lucena, by the Tracker Team of the Zarraga Municipal Police Station (MPS) led by Police Captain Beberly Cataluña, officer-in-charge.
The arrest was carried out by virtue of a warrant of arrest for rape by carnal knowledge under Article 266-A, paragraph 1(d) in relation to Article 266-B, paragraph 1 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act (RA) 11648.
The warrant was issued on January 20, 2026, by the presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court, Sixth Judicial Region, Branch 27, Iloilo City. No bail was recommended.
The arrested individual was placed under the custody of the Zarraga MPS for proper disposition of the case.
Police Colonel Bayani Razalan, provincial director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo), praised the Zarraga MPS for the successful arrest.
“Congratulations gid sa Zarraga MPS sa madinalag-on nga operasyon nga nagresulta sa pagkadakop sang Rank 1 Most Wanted sang Western Visayas. Hugot gid ang aton kampanya kontra sa mga wanted person agud sila pasabton sa korte sa ila nahimo nga krimen kag mahatagan sang hustisya ang ila nangin biktima,” Razalan said.
(Congratulations to Zarraga MPS for the successful operation that resulted in the arrest of the Rank 1 Most Wanted of Western Visayas. Our campaign against wanted persons is very strong so that they can be held accountable for their crimes and justice can be given to their victims.)
Minutes earlier, at 9:01 a.m., operatives of the Passi City Police Station arrested the region’s second MWP identified as alias Chy, 32, in Sitio Agbarire, Barangay Tagubong, Passi City.
The suspect was wanted for two counts of statutory rape and lascivious conduct. The warrants of arrest were issued by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 6, Dumangas, Iloilo, on February 24 and February 25, 2026. The court set bail at P200,000.
At 10:15 a.m., the region’s fourth MWP, identified as alias Hein, 21, a resident of Barangay Cabilauan, New Lucena, was arrested in Barangay Poblacion, New Lucena.
Personnel of the New Lucena MPS carried out the arrest with assistance from the Zarraga MPS and the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group-Visayas Field Unit 6.
The arrest was based on a warrant issued on January 20, 2026, by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 27, Iloilo City, for rape by sexual assault in relation to RA 7610, as amended by RA 11648. Bail was fixed at P200,000.
Five minutes later, at 10:20 a.m., in the same Barangay, operatives arrested the region’s third MWP identified as alias Icho, 21, for rape by carnal knowledge under Article 266-A, paragraph 1(d) in relation to Article 266-B, paragraph 1 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by RA 11648.
The warrant of arrest was issued on January 20, 2026, by the Regional Trial Court, Sixth Judicial Region, Branch 27, Iloilo City, with no bail recommended.
All four arrested individuals are now under police custody for proper disposition of their respective cases.
The PRO 6 and the Ippo said the coordinated operations reflect intensified efforts to locate and arrest wanted persons across the province. (Leo Solinap)