EIGHTEEN persons wanted for various felonies — five of them charged with rape — were arrested by agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in a series of anti-criminality operations in the countryside, a report to PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said.

One of the arrested suspects is Lovicel Bonggat, the 45-year old chairperson of Barangay Caruray in San Vicente, Palawan who yielded a fragmentation grenade and two rifle grenades last Saturday while the 2nd suspect, 50-year old local government employee Jay Gatdula was arrested for illegal possession of ammunition, said PNP-CIDG director, Major Gen. Albert Ignatius D. Ferro.

Local CIDG and police operatives raided the houses of the suspects on the basis of warrants for illegal possession of firearms and explosives issued by Judge Anna Leah Tionson-Mendoza of the Roxas, Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 164.

The raid at the residence of a 3rd target, Rizalde Bandiola yielded negative results.

Ferro said Bonggat has been included in the list of personalities identified by the Palawan Police Provincial Office as allegedly ‘financing’ the local New People’s Army (NPA).

“We are currently conducting an in-depth investigation of the involvement of Bonggat with the Communist Terrorist Group especially the allegation that he is involved in financing the activities of the group,” the official said.

Another suspect identified as Mike Igal alias ‘Esmael Ganday Egal’ was arrested in his residence in Bgy. Limbo, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on the basis of warrants for robbery with homicide, double frustrated murder and carnapping.

No bail was recommended for his temporary liberty in connection with the robbery with homicide case while a total of 380,000 in bail was set for his temporary freedom in relation to the two other criminal cases.

Ferro described the suspect as a member of the Talusan Armed Group whose 12 members led by barangay chairman Datu Pendatun Talusan were killed in a gunfight with security troops last January. The 12 were co-respondents of Igal in the string of criminal cases.

Three others identified as Rosales Marvin, Joeralyn de la Peña and Jestoni Ebag were arrested in separate operations in Manila, Bacolod City and Zamboanga del Sur.

Marvin,19, was arrested for a homicide case with no bail recommended by a Manila court. He was apprehended in Binondo, Manila.

De la Peña, wanted for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 with no bail recommended since October 2016 was caught in Bgy. Estefania, Bacolod City.

Ebag, 30, a man wanted for murder with no bail recommended was arrested in Bgy. Poblacion, Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur.

Three others identified as John Rey Salientes, Ariel Ebuenga and Joel Rey Amular was collared in separate manhunt operations last Sunday.

Salientes, a man wanted for rape with no bail recommended, was arrested in Sitio San Juan, Bgy. Macamot in Binangonan, Rizal while Amular, another wanted rape suspect was tracked down in his hideout in Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

Ebuenga, 29,was arrested in Bgy. Tulo, Batangas City on the basis of a warrant for qualified rape with no bail recommended by a Calabanga, Camarines Sur court.

Maj. Gen. Ferro said that three other most wanted rape suspects were caught by his men last Friday. He identified the three as Roel Valdez, Juan Villahermosa and Luigi Alamo, all facing non-bailable rape cases.

Valdez, wanted for a qualified rape case was apprehended in Sitio Madapoy in Bgy. Patungcaleo in Quirino, Ilocos Sur while Villahermosa, wanted for two counts of rape was arrested in Bgy. Tingub in Mandaue City in Cebu.

Alamo was arrested in Bgy. 188 in Pasay City on the basis of a warrant for rape and two counts of acts of lasciviousness.

“Rape is the highest form of disrespect and violation of women’s rights. These criminals deserve to be behind bars,” said Ferro as he commended the CIDG operatives who tracked down the suspects.