POLICE Regional Office 5 (PRO5) Director Brigadier General Rudolph B. Dimas, on Saturday, announced the solution of a rape-slay case in Claveria, Masbate, with the immediate arrest of the principal suspect in a hot pursuit operation this week.

In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., the Bicol police director said that the captured suspect is now facing a rape with a homicide case.

The official said that the suspect was identified as the main suspect in the killing of Jessica Mangubat, a 24-year-old teacher from San Ramon Institute in Claveria municipality last Wednesday.

The victim’s body was discovered by one of her colleagues inside the room she was renting in Barangay Manapao around 10:00 a.m. last Wednesday (Oct. 5, 2022).

Following the discovery of the gruesome case, the Claveria Municipal Police Station (MPS) immediately buckled down to work and conducted an investigation which led to the identification of the suspect from Barangay Pasig, also in the same town.

When arrested, the suspect yielded a blood-stained t-shirt and a 12-inch piece of wood believed to be the weapon used in hitting the victim’s head. The recovered evidence has been submitted to the local PNP Forensic Group for laboratory examination.

Dimas commended the Claveria policemen who arrested the suspect as he vowed to apply the full force of the law against the suspect.

“We promised to the victim’s family that justice will be served to them,” the official said.

The arrest of the rape-slay suspect came as four “most wanted persons” (MWPs) in the region were also captured by PRO5 agents in a string of manhunt operations in the region on Wednesday.

“These arrests were made in line with the order of Gen. Azurin for us to further step-up effort to account for most wanted persons in Bicol to prevent them from committing more crimes and keep the streets safe 24/7,” the official said.

Dimas said that one of the four MWPs was arrested in Zone 2, Bgy. Manguring in Calabanga, Camarines Sur, on the strength of a warrant for three counts of acts of lasciviousness.

Tagged as the 2nd MWP in Calabanga town, the suspect was ordered to post P160,000 bail for each case.

Another suspect, a resident of Bato, Camarines Sur, was arrested based on a non-bailable warrant of arrest for rape.

The suspect has been tagged as the 4th most wanted man in Bato municipality.

Dimas said that the 3rd suspect wanted for a frustrated murder case was arrested in Purok San Roque in Bgy. Matoogtoog in Mercedes town. A P200,000 bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of the suspect, who was described as the 4th most wanted person in Mercedes.

The 4th suspect from Bgy. Putting Baybay in San Andres, Catanduanes was arrested on the strength of a warrant for statutory rape.

The court did not recommend any bail for the temporary liberty of the suspect, who was tracked down in his hiding place in Bgy. Ogbong in Viga municipality.