Socmed post leads to arrest of Laguna town’s second most wanted man

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A social media post helped Iloilo City cops arrest the second most wanted person of Kalayaan town in Laguna.

Renato dela Cruz, 69, who hails from Purok 6, San Juan (Poblacion), Kalayaan, was arrested afternoon of Jan 30, 2023.

Operatives of Iloilo City Police Station 1 (City Proper district) and Kalayaan Municipal Police Station nabbed dela Cruz on Guanco Street, Barangay Nonoy, City Proper.

Dela Cruz is facing three counts of acts of lasciviousness under Sec. 336 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Sec 5 (B) of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act). The cases are docketed as Criminal Case Nos. SC-30472, SC-30473, and SC-30474.

Judge Mary Jean Tibo Cajandab of the 4th Regional Trial Court, Branch 26, Sta. Cruz, Laguna issued the arrest warrant on Jan. 23, 2023.

A P540,000 bail was recommended for the suspect’s temporary liberty. It took a week for ICPO operatives to track down the suspect after he was reported to have been in hiding in the metropolis.

Police learned of dela Cruz’s location through a Facebook page showing him at an event in Molo district.

He was later traced to be temporarily staying in Muelle Loney, City Proper for about 4 months already.

Dela Cruz is now in the custody of ICPS1.