OVER 1,000 wanted persons and other lawbreakers have been neutralized by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as a result of ‘intelligence packets’ provided by the PNP Intelligence Group (PNP-IG) since November last year, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

The effort of the PNP-IG has been commended by the PNP leadership headed by General Debold M. Sinas noting that intelligence information developed by the unit enabled them to further advance their all-out campaign against criminality and terror and help keep the streets much safer 24/7.

Official PNP records showed that from March 26 to last April 1 alone, the PNP-IG headed by Brigadier Gen. Warren F. de Leon arrested 53 wanted persons and caused the surrender of 250 New People’s Army (NPA) members and active supporters.

Among those arrested during the period were three NPA rebels, two most wanted persons carrying a total bounty of P265,000 offered by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and 18 other most wanted persons.

Among those arrested by the PNP-IG during the weeklong period were Robert Terrado, a man wanted for two counts of qualified rape in Capoocan, Leyte; Khadaffy Ayonan, a suspected terror group member in Lanao del Sur who was arrested for kidnapping and murder in Piagapo; wanted murder suspect Arnaldo Landicho who was caught in his hiding place in Barangay Calulut in San Fernando City in Pampanga; Rudolfo Villena, a wanted rape suspect who was arrested in Bgy. Guinhawa in Tuy, Batangas;

Jimboy Santa, a wanted murder suspect who was captured in his hiding place in Bgy. Manluyong in Mandaue City in Cebu; Evangeline Parba, a most wanted drug personality who was caught in Bgy. Labangon in Cebu; Vincent Granada, a man wanted for two counts of rape and sexual assault who was arrested in Bgy. Mabini in Poro, Cebu; Abdul Mongcol, a man wanted for rape with sexual assault until he was tracked down by PNP-IG operatives in his hiding place in Bgy. Balangobong in Alaminis, Pangasinan;

Alfredo Tuliao, a wanted rape suspect who was caught in Bgy. Sta. Teresa in Iguig, Cagayan; Joel Asilo, a man wanted for frustrated murder and arrested in Bgy. Tiaong in Guiguinto, Bulacan; Raymund Horca, a wanted qualified rape suspect who was tracked down in Bgy. Sto. Niño in Capoocan, Leyte; Elvis Cañete, another most wanted rape suspect who was arrested in Bgy. Poblacion in Dueñas, Iloilo; and Jimmy Medallo, another wanted rape suspect who was tracked down in his hideout in Marippi, Biliran province.

The PNP-IG-led operations likewise resulted in the seizure of 19 illegal firearms, 10 grenades and 18 improvised explosive device (IED) components.

From November 25 to last March 22, the PNP-IG’s campaign against local insurgents had also resulted in the arrest of more than 30 PA members, the surrender of nearly 700 others and the killing of two armed rebels.

Also seized by the PNP-IG as a result of those operations were 37 assorted high-powered firearms and dozens of different live ammunition.

PNP-IG officers also accounted for 19 most wanted terror suspects, majority of them members of the ISIS-inspired Abu Sayyaf Group and their affiliates, convinced 15 others to yield to the government and launched operations which led in the killing of eight heavily-armed terrorists following gunbattles with officers. A total of 23 powerful guns were confiscated from the terrorists who were neutralized.

During the same period, PNP-IG operatives also captured 405 wanted criminals in the country, 13 of them among the country’s Most Wanted Persons with reward money put up on their heads by the Department of National Defense (DND) and the DILG.

Also arrested during the same period by the PNP-IG were 66 Regional Most Wanted, 108 Provincial Most Wanted, 56 City and Municipal Most Wanted and 92 Other Wanted Persons.

Over the past five months, the Unit also accounted for nearly 100 wanted crime gang members and over 10 Partisan Armed Group members and confiscated over 150 assorted firearms that may have been used or still could be used in the commission of crimes.

PNP-IG-initiated operations during the period also resulted in the arrest of 41 known drug traffickers and the killing of another in a shootout with undercover officers. Eight guns were recovered from the arrested suspects.

The PNP leadership also lauded the PNP-IG for its role in their continuing internal cleansing program. So far, the PNP-IG under de Leon has already led operations which resulted in the arrest of five rogue police personnel and the seizure of three firearms. Another good news is that no PNP-IG personnel has been found to be involved in any illegal activity since Sinas took over as the 25th PNP chief last November 10.

Under the stewardship of de Leon, a member of PNP Academy Class 1993, PNP-IG operatives have been making daily accomplishments in the campaign against most wanted persons, terrorists and other criminals thru the launching of an honest-to-goodness ‘intelligence work’ anchored on solid cooperation with the community and their other intelligence counterparts.

A PNP-IG-initiated operation in Caraga last month also resulted in the arrest of a local public school official accused of having links with the NPA and involvement in attacks on government troops.

Police Regional Office 13 (PRO13) director, Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. identified the suspect as Rosanilla Consad alias Lai, a 54-year old assistant principal of the San Vicente National High School in Butuan City.