NEARLY a dozen wanted rape suspects, some of them in hiding 20, 15 or 10 years ago have been accounted for by agents of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) headed by Brigadier General Jonnel C. Estomo this year earning the unit commendations from the PNP leadership headed by Gen. Debold M. Sinas.
“I’d like to commend the PNP-AKG for proving to all and sundry that the long arm of the law will always catch up on wanted criminals, that they have no place to hide in our country. Ang tingin ko nga, talagang galit na galit sa mga rapists si Brig. Gen. Estomo,” the PNP chief told the Journal Group.
The PNP-AKG has joined the national police’s massive campaign to account for all wanted persons across the country, whether they are kidnappers, murderers, robbers and rapists as part of the PNP’s effort to bring justice to the victims of these wanted men.
Since last February 1 to last April 13, PNP-AKG operatives have already hauled to jail 91 wanted personalities, shot dead 13 armed criminals in gunbattles and rescued six POGO-related kidnapping-for-ransom victims.
Of the 91 wanted persons, 52 are included in the list of Top Most Wanted Persons in the national, city and municipal level.
Last Friday, PNP-AKG Visayas Field Unit operatives arrested Ildefonso Opilda, a construction worker wanted for two counts of rape during an operation in Purok Laurel in Barangay Mansilingan in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
Judge Ray Alan Drilon of the Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 41 recommended no bail for the suspect on April 9, 2008. Bacolod City Judge Philadelfa Pogapong-Agraviador last January 26 also ordered the arrest of the suspect for violation of Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code and ordered him to pay a P300,000 bail for his temporary liberty.
Estomo said the suspect is wanted for raping his neighbor’s daughter, a minor in 2007. He also sexually abused the victim’s much younger daughter on the same year before going on hiding after a criminal complaint was filed against him.
PNP-AKG agents also arrested Rabby Billones Sr. alias ‘Poluy,’ a 42-year old butcher working in a slaughterhouse in Altavaz, Aklan on the strength of a warrant of arrest for three counts of rape with no bail recommended by Judge Oscar Leo Billena of the Barotac Viejo RTC Branch 66 last March 30.
Estomo said the accused is wanted for raping a 17-year minor several times in 2017.
Three other wanted rape suspects identified as Joyce Weil ‘Jojo’ Ocumen, Fredwin Fernandez and Nolencio Boco were also tracked down in their hiding places by the PNP-AKG this month. All three are facing non-bailable charges.
Estomo said that Ocumen was arrested in his hiding place in Diadi, Nueva Viscaya by PNP-AKG officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Renato Ocampo and the local police. The suspect was arrested on the strength of a warrant of arrest for rape issued by Judge Cicero Jandoc of the Bayombong RTC Branch 29 on March 25, 2015.
The official said that Ocumen was accused of raping a young girl who was alone in her house in 2015. Ocumen was reportedly high on shabu when he sexually abused the victim.
On the other hand, Fernandez was arrested in Sitio Candagsao in Barangay Talima in Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu by members of the AKG Visayas Field Unit led by Lt. Zosimo Ravanes Jr.
The suspect is the subject of a warrant of arrest for rape issued by Judge Joy Redoble of the Carcar City RTC Branch 77 on March 29, 2001 with no bail recommended.
Estomo said that the suspect was charged in court for raping a mentally-challenged woman during the birthday party of the victim’s cousin. An investigation showed that the victim was on her way home and walking along a beach in the city when the suspect blocked her path and dragged her to a secluded place where he raped her.
The suspect is now being held at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Station 1 jail.
Boco was arrested in his hiding place in Purok 3 in Bgy. Sabang in Hinundayan, Southern Leyte by AKG Visayas Field Unit officers under Lt. Col. Victor Loon.
Tagged as the no. 1 most wanted person in Hinundayan municipality, the suspect is the subject of a warrant of arrest for rape issued by Judge Jacinto Elle of the San Juan RTC Branch 26 in Leyte last January 27.
Estomo said that the suspect was accused of raping a Grade 6 student inside the comfort room of their neighbor last December 7.
Another suspect named Norma Datul, a woman wanted for large-scale illegal recruitment and 18 counts of estafa and tagged as the 7th most wanted person in Cagayan Valley was also jailed by the PNP-AKG.
Estomo said that the suspect was tracked down in her hiding place in Nattanzan, Iguig, Cagayan by AKG Special Operations Unit operatives led by Major Alexander Tenorio and Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo Sy.
Judge Denna Aguila-Topacio of the Manila RTC Branch 42 issued a warrant of arrest against the suspect for illegal recruitment with no bail recommended on November 17, 2011. The same judge also asked the accused to pay a P288,000 bail in connection with the 18 counts of estafa complaints hurled against her.
Estomo said the suspect is wanted for her involvement in large-scale illegal recruitment, swindling and estafa activities in Metro Manila and Region 2 over the past 10 years where she was monitored to have assumed different identities to elude authorities.
In Ermita, Manila, AKG operatives arrested Marlyn Lagman, the subject of a warrant of arrest for large-scale illegal recruitment with no bail recommended by Judge Virgilio Macaraeg of the Manila Branch 37 on December 1, 2017.
