The Catanduanes police made a significant accomplishment in its law enforcement campaign, snagging the top two most wanted persons in the island one after the other.
In the afternoon of Sept. 24, 2025, a 21-year-old man, identified as the No. 1 MWP and accused of three counts of statutory rape with no bail recommended, was arrested in Virac on the basis of the warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 43 Assisting Judge Candice Guada Cresilda Cortes Almodovar-Tordilla under Criminal Case Nos. 11635, 11636, and 11637.
The arrest was made by joint elements of the Catanduanes Police Provincial Office (PPO) led by the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC), along with the Virac Municipal Police Station (MPS), Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU), Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) 5 Provincial Intelligence Team (PIT) Catanduanes, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Provincial Field Unit.
Two days later, a man accused of several charges of sexual abuse and ranked No. 2 in the list of Catanduanes police’ Most Wanted Persons was arrested in Metro Manila.
The 23-year-old man from Manambrag, San Andres was collared by personnel of the San Andres Municipal Police Station, led by police chief Maj. Francis T. Tabo I, in coordination with the Quezon City Police District under Maj. Merben Bryan M. Lago and Lt. Col. Edgar V. Batoon, officer-in-charge of the QCPD Fistricty Mobile Force Battalion, on Sept. 26, 2025.
He was apprehended at around 8:20 PM along Topacio Street, Brgy. 882, San Andres Bukid, Manila, by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued in connection with two criminal cases filed against him for rape by sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness, both in relation to RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act), with bail recommended at P180,000 for each case.
The suspect was informed of his rights, subjected to medical examination, and is now detained at Anonas Police Station (PS-9), Quezon City, pending proper disposition.
Catanduanes Police Director PCol. Elmer R. Cereno, commended the operatives for the successful operation and emphasized the priority of arresting individuals wanted for rape and other sexual offenses.
In a separate incident, another man wanted by the court for four counts of violation of RA 7610 was apprehended last week by joint elements of the Regional Intelligence Division-Regional Special Operations Unit 5 and the Virac police station, led by Capt. Allan B. Belen.
The accused, an auto mechanic from Talisoy, Virac, was arrested at the relocation site at San Isidro Village last Sept. 24, 2025 on the basis of the arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 43 Assisting Judge Candice Guada Cresilda Cortes Almodovar-Tordesilla, with bail set at P80,000 each.