OPERATIVES from the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6) arrested three most wanted persons (MWP) in separate operations on March 2 and March 3, 2026, in Iloilo City, Iloilo, and Aklan as part of intensified manhunt efforts against suspects facing rape charges.
Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan, PRO 6 director, commended the operating units for the successful operations and reiterated the police force’s commitment to bringing fugitives to justice.
“This successful operation demonstrates our firm resolve to track down and arrest individuals who attempt to evade justice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the vulnerable sectors of our community and to ensure that those accused of heinous crimes are brought before the court of law,” Ligan said.
He added that the arrests highlight the police organization’s determination to pursue suspects accused of serious crimes.
“The arrests of these top most wanted individuals demonstrate our steadfast commitment to hold perpetrators of heinous crimes accountable. We will continue to protect our communities and ensure that justice is served,” Ligan said.
The highest-ranked among those arrested was a 36-year-old man identified as alias RM, the second MWP at the city level, who was arrested around 9 p.m. on March 3, 2026, in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo District, Iloilo City.
Police said the suspect was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for statutory rape under Article 266-A paragraph (1)(d) of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act (RA) 8353 and further amended by RA 11648.
Police said the suspect is currently under police custody pending turnover to the court concerned.
Meanwhile, police operatives in Aklan arrested a 62-year-old farmer identified as alias Andre, who was listed as the seventh MWP at the regional level.
The suspect was arrested around 6:30 a.m. on March 3, 2026, in Barangay Daguitan, Banga, Aklan.
Police said the arrest was carried out through the service of a warrant of arrest for rape defined and penalized under paragraph 2 of Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code as amended by RA 8353.
The accused is currently under the custody of Banga MPS for proper disposition.
In a separate operation in Iloilo province, alias Rommy, 25, a laborer and resident of Barangay Acao, Cabatuan, Iloilo, was arrested around 5:20 p.m. on March 2, 2026.
Police identified him as the ninth MWP at the regional level and the ninth MWP at the provincial level of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (Ippo).
He was apprehended by the Tracker Team of the Cabatuan MPS by virtue of a warrant of arrest for two counts of statutory rape under Article 266-A paragraph D of the Revised Penal Code.
Also arrested in Aklan was alias Gerry, 52, a barangay tanod and resident of Barangay Libang, Makato, Aklan.
Police said he was apprehended at 6:51 p.m. on March 2, 2026, in Makato by police operatives after being tagged as the 10th regional MWP.
The suspect faces two counts of statutory rape under Article 266-A in relation to Article 266-B of the Revised Penal Code.
All the arrested individuals are currently under police custody for proper disposition and turnover to the respective courts that issued their warrants.
Police authorities said the arrests were part of intensified manhunt operations being carried out across Western Visayas to locate and apprehend wanted persons facing serious criminal charges. (Leo Solinap)