THREE men wanted for gang-raping a Grade 10 student in Juban, Sorsogon in January 2019 were arrested by agents of the Police Regional Office 5 in separate manhunt operations on Tuesday, PRO5 director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said.

“Kung galit ako sa kidnappers, holduppers at mga drug pusher, mas lalong galit ako sa mga rapist,” said Estomo as he lauded his men for their untiring effort to account for most wanted criminals, specifically those wanted for rape in Bicol region.

In a report to Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, the official identified the arrested suspects as Lemuel Jay Lasala, Mclenn Leoj Serias and Ryan Paclibar.

The three were tagged as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th most wanted persons in Juban, Sorsogon.

Estomo said members of the Juban Municipal Police Station, the Sorsogon Police Provincial Mobile Force Company and a team from the PNP Special Action Force arrested Lasala and Serias in their hiding place in Bgy. Marinig, Cabuyao City, Laguna at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

The two residents of Sitio Talinga, Bgy. Cogon in Juban are the subject of a warrant of arrest for five counts of rape issued by Judge Bernardo Jimenez last December 11, with no bail recommended.

Estomo said that Paclibar, a co-accused of the two, was arrested in a follow-up operation in Bgy. Sabang in San Jose, Batangas.

The Bicol police director said that the three were among the six men accused of gang-raping a Grade 10 student “Lailanie” (not her real name) in January 2019.

An investigation showed that the suspects dragged the hapless victim in an abandoned house owned by one of them and took turns in sexually abusing her.

During investigation, the young victim said that her hands and legs were held by some of the suspects while the others were raping her.

The victim and her family sought the help of the local police in filing criminal charges against the suspects, who immediately went into hiding to avoid being thrown to jail.

All three suspects are being held at the Juban police lock-up facility.

The official also reported the arrest of a 4th wanted rape suspect in Phase 3 Buhatan in Sto. Domingo, Albay on Tuesday. He identified the suspect as Michael Gonzales, the subject of a warrant of arrest for two counts of rape and one count of statutory rape.

Gonzales was as the no. 1 most wanted person in Infanta, Quezon.