PHILIPPINE National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) director, Brigadier General Rudolph B. Dimas on Tuesday announced the arrest of seven wanted persons in the country, all of them facing heinous crimes.

In a report to PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the PNP-AKG chief said that members of different AKG operating units tracked down the elusive suspects in their hiding places in the provinces of Pangasinan, Rizal, Cebu, Bohol and Zamboanga del Norte.

“We are stepping-up our effort to account not only for most wanted kidnappers in the country but also other persons wanted for heinous crimes on orders of Gen. Eleazar. By making the arrest, we are also contributing well to the PNP’s effort to keep peace and order with less most wanted persons in the streets,” Brig. Gen. Dimas told the Journal Group.

One of the suspects identified as Freddie Bato,38, a man wanted for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 was arrested last Friday along Roxas Street in Barangay Magsaysay in Bayambang, Pangasinan.

The 2nd identified as Angelo Reyes,19, was apprehended along Ynares Village in Bgy. Pantok in Binangonan, Rizal on the same day. A warrant of arrest for robbery was issued against the suspect by the Morong, Rizal Regional Trial Court Branch 168.

The 3rd, Munib Bararudin, a 54-year old known member of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group was served eight more warrant of arrest for kidnapping-for-ransom and serious illegal detention also last Friday.

Brig. Gen. Dimas said that the suspect who is presently under the custody of the AKG Mindanao Field Unit in Zamboanga city is the subject of a warrant issued by the Isabela City RTC Branch on January 28, 2008.

The suspect surrendered to the PNP-AKG last September 27. Dimas said that the suspect was found to be working as a security guard in Isabela City. Before his surrender, the suspect has been on the run after he was monitored to have participated in the kidnapping of eight persons including then 13-year old Ruben Baldesamos Jr. at the Golden Harvest Plantation in Bgy. Tairan in Lantawan, Basilan on June 11, 2001.

The eight were held captive in the mountains of Lantawan and Sumisip for four months and two days.

The 4th suspect identified as Kadong Mandaway,36, was arrested last Saturday in Sitio Busay, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte on the basis of a warrant for frustrated murder issued by the Liloy RTC Branch 28 in Zamboanga del Norte on March 15, 2018.

The 5th, Rocky Ventura was served a warrant of arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention at the Siocon District Jail in Siocon municipality last Saturday. The warrant was issued against the suspect last May 26.

The 6th identified as Romulo Alic,34, tagged as the 7th most wanted person in Minglanilla Cebu was arrested on Saturday evening in his hiding place in Bgy. Cuanos.

Dimas said that the suspect is the subject of a warrant for murder issued by the Naga, Cebu RTC Branch 76 last January 28. The warrant stemmed from a case filed against the suspect in connection with the killing of a man on September 6, 2020.

The 7th, Renato Dollera, a former New People’s Army member who has surrendered to the government was arrested inside the headquarters of the Army’s 47th Infantry Battalion in Carmen, Bohol on the strength of a warrant of arrest for rape issued by the Carmen RTC Branch 51 last September 24.