204 wanted persons nabbed in Western Visayas manhunt

By Jennifer P. Rendon

More than 200 wanted persons were arrested in Western Visayas as the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 launched heightened operations against fugitives.

The series of operations, which ran from June 10 to 16, was part of PRO-6’s Birada Semana, a weeklong enhanced managing police operations (E-MPO) and focused police operation targeting anti-criminality, wanted persons, illegal drugs, and illegal gambling.

Of the 204 arrested fugitives, 47 were tagged as most wanted persons (MWPs) while 157 were classified as other wanted persons (OWPs).

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) recorded the highest number of arrests at 16, followed by the Negros Occidental PPO (NOcPPO) with 13.

The Aklan Police Provincial Office arrested four; Antique PPO, Capiz PPO, and Guimaras PPO each apprehended three; Bacolod City Police Office and Iloilo City Police Office each arrested two; and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 6 made one arrest.

Meanwhile, the NOcPPO made the most arrests of OWPs at 58, while Iloilo PPO apprehended 38; Aklan PPO, 17; Bacolod City PO and Antique PPO, 10 each; Guimaras PPO and RFMB-6, seven each; Capiz PPO, six; and Iloilo City PO, four.

Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, praised the tracker teams for their manhunt efforts.

“These arrests show the PRO-6’s steadfast commitment to account for all the wanted persons in the region,” he said.

The region’s top cop affirmed that the relentless efforts of PRO-6 personnel on the ground will ensure that remaining wanted persons will be apprehended and held accountable for their illegal actions.