Man wanted for statutory rape yields to Iloilo police

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 32-year-old man ranked as the fifth most wanted person in Western Visayas surrendered to police in Sara, Iloilo, on the early evening of July 4.

The suspect, identified by the alias Salvador, is a resident of Barangay Villahermosa in the municipality of Sara.

He turned himself in to joint operatives from the Sara Municipal Police Station, Regional Intelligence Unit 6-Provincial Intelligence Team Iloilo, and the Lemery Municipal Police Station.

Salvador faces outstanding arrest warrants for three counts of qualified rape of a minor.

The charges fall under Article 266-A, Paragraph 1, in relation to Article 266-B of the amended Revised Penal Code of the Philippines.

Under Philippine law, qualified rape of a minor is classified as a heinous crime strictly punishable by life imprisonment.

The arrest warrants were issued by the 6th Regional Trial Court Branch 70 in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.

The presiding court recommended no bail for his provisional liberty.

The suspect is currently in the custody of the Sara Municipal Police Station for proper documentation before his transfer to the court.

Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, Western Visayas police chief, said the surrender reflects the value of sustained intelligence-driven police work, effective coordination, and community cooperation.

“Peaceful voluntary surrenders do not happen by chance—they are often the result of persistent intelligence gathering, strong coordination, and the trust we continue to build with our communities. ThePRO6 Way: intelligence first. Coordination always. Results that speak for themselves,” Tuaño said.

Tuaño added that Police Regional Office 6 remains steadfast in its campaign against wanted persons and in sustaining police-community partnerships to ensure responsive, trusted, and transformative policing.