Western Visayas’ ‘most wanted’ fugitives arrested

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Two individuals from the Western Visayas most wanted list were apprehended on April 29. The police identified the suspects as alias Sonny, 56, from Antique province, and alias Jerico, 37, from Aklan province.

Sonny was arrested on Monday morning in Barangay Poblacion, Patnongon, Antique, ranking as the seventh most wanted person in Region 6. He faces murder charges and was arrested under a warrant issued by Judge Mario G. Andres Jr. of the Regional Trial Court 6 (RTC-6), Branch 64 in Bugasong, Antique, dated March 21, 2024.

The operation involved members of the Patnongon Municipal Police Station and the Regional Intelligence Unit 6. Sonny was accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor in March 2017 during a drinking spree.

Meanwhile, Jerico was captured Monday afternoon in Barangay 37, Bitano, Legazpi City, Albay. Recognized as the top most wanted person in Western Visayas, Jerico was charged with rape.

His arrest warrant was issued by Judge Bienvenido P. Barrios Jr. of the RTC 6, Branch 3 in Kalibo, Aklan, on May 23, 2022. No bail has been recommended for him.

The arrest was conducted by a combined team from the 1st Aklan Provincial Mobile Force Company, Regional Intelligence Units 5 and 6, Legazpi City Police Station, and Madalag Municipal Police Station of the Aklan Police Provincial Office.

Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, commended the dedication and efforts of the units involved in capturing these fugitives. “The arrests of these two fugitives clearly demonstrate the PNP’s commitment to apprehending these wanted individuals. Rest assured that those remaining law evaders in the region will be our next targets for police operations,” Wanky said.