POLICE Regional Office 2 director Brigadier General Steve V. Ludan on Saturday announced the arrest of six men wanted on charges of murder, rape and illegal drug trafficking in Cagayan Valley.

In a report to Philippine National Police chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the official said one of the suspects identified as Renato Pineda, 54, one of the most wanted persons in the region, was arrested in his residence in Bgy. Telabastagan in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

The suspect is the subject of a warrant of arrest for illegal possession of drugs, firearms and explosives issued by Judge Paul Ramil Attolba Jr. of the Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 27 last January 22.

No bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of the accused in connection with the case for illegal possession of explosives filed against him by the Bayombong police which recovered prohibited drugs, guns and explosives in his rented boarding house in Purok 1 Cabaruguis Street in Bgy. Baringin in 2016.

The 2nd identified as Joel Miguel, a 41-year-old resident of Bgy. San Vicente in Quirino, Isabela, was arrested on the strength of a warrant for murder issued by Judge Randy Bulwayan of the Roxas RTC Branch 23.

Ludan said the suspect, tagged as the 6th most wanted man in Cagayan Valley, is wanted for killing Nenita de Luna, a 59-year-old public school teacher from Muñoz East in Roxas municipality last April 1.

The victim was gunned down shortly after she alighted from a tricycle in front of their house. The teacher’s husband was unhurt in the attack which was said to have been triggered by an old grudge.

Ludan said members of the Roxas Municipal Police Station are still tracking down an accomplice of Miguel in killing the victim. The suspect is now being held at the Roxas Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facing a non-bailable murder case.

The 3rd suspect identified as Anacleto Gonzaga, 58, was arrested for his involvement in a shooting incident inside his house in Bgy. Bantug in Roxas, Isabela on Thursday night.

An investigation showed that Gonzaga and his two nephews identified as Edmar and Edcel Cabacungan and the victim identified as Alma Dawag, 20, were having a drinking session at the suspect’s residence in Sitio Calaocan when the former showed off his Magnum pistol to the three.

Saying that the gun was not loaded, the suspect squeezed the trigger of the firearm which was then pointed at the direction of Dawag, a resident of Paracelis, Mountain Province.

To his surprise, the gun went off hitting the right leg of the victim who was immediately taken to a local hospital where she has been listed in stable condition.

Ludan said responding policemen arrested the suspect who yielded a Magnum .357 pistol with a magazine containing two live ammunition. Also recovered at the scene were two cal. .38 bullets and a spent .357 cartridge.

The suspect is now being held at the Roxas police jail facing charges for frustrated homicide and violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013, after it turned out that his gun is an unlicensed one.

The PRO2 director said the two other suspects identified as Richmond Macaspac, 21, of Bgy. Disrict 1 in Cauayan City, Isabela, and Shanyne Talosig, 20, of Bgy. Santos, Reina Mercedes municipality, were arrested in an anti-narcotics operation last Wednesday.

He said the suspects who have been tagged as “high-value targets” in the region were found in possession of an estimated P60,000 worth of dried marijuana leaves, assorted drug paraphernalia and several live ammunition during the sting in Cauayan City.

The two are now facing non-bailable charges for violation of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and RA 10591.

The 6th suspect identified as Neil Culasing, a 27-year-old resident of Bgy. Banguian in Abulug, Cagayan, was arrested at the boundary of San Juan, Sta. Praxedes municipality in Bgy. Pasaleng in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

Ludan said the suspect is wanted for a non-bailable rape case and has been listed as the 7th most wanted person in the region prior to his arrest.

A warrant for the arrest of the suspect was issued by Judge Francisco Donato of the Ballesteros, Cagayan RTC Branch 33 on May 15, 2017. Ludan said it turned out that the parents of a former girlfriend of the accused when they were still high school students filed a rape case against him.