One of the top 10 Provincial Most Wanted Persons in Catanduanes has been arrested in Bulacan province where he had fled two years earlier.
The Catanduanes Provincial Police Office headed by PCol. Elmer Cereno made the announcement last Monday following the apprehension of the 68-year-old man last Dec. 14, 2025.
The report stated that after a rigorous case build-up, elements of the Pandan Municipal Police Station finally handcuffed its target at 1:59 PM in San Juan del Monte town where the man, accused of lascivious conduct against a minor, was apparently convinced to meet with the victim inside a mall.
The arrest was made on the basis of a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 43 in Virac on Oct. 23, 2023 in connection with the criminal case for acts of lasciviousness in relation to Section 5 (b) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
Bail for his provisional liberty during trial has been set at P180,000.
According to the Pandan police, the unidentified accused left the island province after learning that a case had been filed against him.
The successful apprehension of the man came about after close coordination with the San Juan del Monte, Bulacan police station based on important information secured by the team.
If found guilty of “giving monetary consideration goods or other pecuniary benefit to a child with intent to engage such child in prostitution,” the accused could face imprisonment ranging from reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua.
The notable accomplishment comes on the heels of the CATPPO’s securing second rank in the Bicol regional police’s Unit Performance Evaluation Rating (UPER) for November 2025, with an impressive score of 83.978%.
Congratulations to PD Cereno, who must be doing a good job at Camp Francisco Camacho that the men and women of the local police force are performing according to his standards.
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In last month’s Regional-National Investment Programming (RNIP) dialogue at the PICC, the cabinet secretaries accepted 27 priority projects intended to boost development in the Bicol region, according to the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev).
Of the P11.4 billion worth of proposed projects, only two directly concerned Catanduanes: the P489.44 million Virac airport development project and the P35 million upgrading of the Abaca Technology Innovation Center (ATIC) laboratory for biotechnology advancements.
The press release did not mention if the ATIC laboratory in the list is the one established at the Catanduanes State University through the initiative of then Congressman Leandro Verceles Jr.
Notably, the feasibility study for constructing the Friendship bridge that would connect Camarines Sur to the island province of Catanduanes was not in list, prompting RDC Chair and Albay Governor Noel Rosal to follow up this and other initiatives during the discussion.
The report did not mention how the PBBM cabinet responded to the Rosal follow-up.
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FAT-FREE FRIES. A boy read a restaurant sign that advertised fat-free French fries.
“Sounds great,” said the health-conscious boy. He ordered some.
He watched as the cook pulled a basket of fries from the fryer.
The potatoes were dripping with oil when the cook put them into the container.
“Wait a minute,” the boy said. “Those don’t look fat-free.”
The cook said, “Sure they are! We charge only for the potatoes. The fat is free!”