Pang-Guinness? Cops arrest all 10 most wanted fugitives in Western Visayas in just 4 days
TUANO
Police arrested all the top 10 fugitives in Western Visayas in just four days after the regional most wanted list was updated for the month of August this year—one of the fastest, if not the fastest, accounting of top level wanted persons recorded so far in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The complete sweep of the 10 most wanted in the region for this month was the third time the Police Regional Office 6 recorded it, the first was accomplished in June this year for eight days, followed by the 14-day operations that arrested all the wanted operations for the month of July.
PRO 6 Brig. Gen. Randulf T. Tuaño attributed the three consecutive sweeps of Western Visayas’ most wanted to intelligence-driven manhunt operations.
“Three complete sweeps of the Regional Top 10 most wanted persons list are not the result of chance—they are the product of disciplined intelligence work, seamless coordination, and the unwavering commitment of our officers,” said Tuaño.
“This accomplishment is not about numbers alone; it is about ensuring that those accused of serious crimes are brought before our courts and that our communities are safer because justice is actively pursued,” he added.
The arrested fugitives were facing serious criminal charges, including murder, rape, acts of lasciviousness, sexual assault, and other offenses.
Tuaño said the operations were carried out through intensified intelligence gathering, surveillance, target profiling, warrant service, and close coordination among operating units, intelligence personnel, investigators, and partner law enforcement agencies.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., earlier tasked all territorial police commanders, from regional down to the station level, to intensify the campaign against wanted persons.
He said the aggressive campaign against wanted fugitives since in most cases, the wanted persons are usually involved in two or more criminal activities.
Nartatez particularly tasked police commanders to regularly update their respective most wanted list, citing several accomplishments where some police units would account for all the 10 most wanted persons.
Tuaño, for his part, said that while the regional top 10 list has been fully accounted for, their campaign against wanted persons remains far from over.
“Our police units throughout Western Visayas will continue intensifying intelligence collection, warrant service, and focused manhunt operations to locate other fugitives and ensure they are brought before the courts without delay,” he said.