Iloilo’s sixth most wanted suspect arrested in Calinog

By Jennifer P. Rendon

ILOILO CITY — A 22-year-old man listed as Iloilo province’s sixth most wanted person was arrested around noon Tuesday, Aug. 11, in Calinog, Iloilo.

Police identified the suspect only as alias “John.”

He was arrested at his home in Sitio Tabuc Suba, Barangay Badu.

Members of the Passi City Component Police Station, supported by the 602nd Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6, served an arrest warrant for statutory rape under Article 266-A, Paragraph 1(d), of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 11648.

The court issued the warrant Aug. 10, 2026, and did not recommend bail.

Republic Act No. 11648 raised the age threshold for statutory rape from under 12 to under 16 in 2022.

The law provides a narrow exception when the age difference is no more than three years and the act is proven to have been consensual, nonabusive and nonexploitative. The exception does not apply when the younger person is under 13.

Police Lt. Col. German Magbanua III, Passi City police chief, said John was the area’s topmost wanted person and ranked sixth on Iloilo province’s most wanted list.

Police Col. Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, said authorities would continue intensified manhunt operations against wanted persons.

“May this arrest serve as a stern warning to the remaining wanted persons that are still hiding from the arms of the law that you cannot hide forever. Time will come that you will be answering your case in the court of law,” Razalan said.

John remains in police custody pending his turnover to the court that issued the warrant.