TWELVE wanted persons in the country, including a known member of the dreaded Maute Group who laid siege to Marawi City in 2017, were arrested by agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in a series of continuing manhunt operations nationwide, PNP-CIDG director, Major General Eliseo DC Cruz told the Journal Group on Saturday.

In a report to PNP Officer-in-Charge (PNP-OIC) Lt. Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr., the official said that the 47-year-old Maute member was known for his gun-for-hire involvement in other illegal activities in Lanao del Sur was arrested on Friday in his hiding place in Barangay Linao in Saguiaran municipality.

The arrest was made by the Lanao del Sur CIDG on the strength of a warrant for homicide issued by Judge Sitte Laarni Umpa of the Marawi City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 9.

Cruz said that the suspect was also found in possession of an unlicensed caliber .38 revolver when arrested and is now facing a separate case for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.

The PNP-CIDG director said that the rest of the suspects were arrested based on warrants of arrest for major crimes, many of them non-bailable cases.

One of them, tagged as the CIDG’s no. 1 most wanted person (MWP) in Cagayan Valley, was arrested based on arrest warrants for three counts of violation of RA 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995 and syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment issued by Judge Anastacio Anghad of the Santiago City RTC Br. 36 and Judge Efren Cacatian of the Santiago City RTC Br. 35 respectively.

No bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of the accused.

A ranked no. 8 MWP in Cavite was also served a warrant for service of the sentence issued against him by Judge Ethel Andico-Malabanan of the Cavite City RTC Br. 16 for violation of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The 4th, described as the 8th most wanted in Laguna, was arrested on the strength of a warrant for violation of RA 9165 issued by Judge Arnold Martinez of the Cabuyao City RTC Br. 108 with a P200,000 recommended bail.

The 5th, tagged as the 9th MWP in Pili, Camarines Sur, was arrested based on a warrant for violation of RA 9165 issued by Judge Nidia Hebrio of the Pili RTC Br. 31 with a P12,000 recommended bail.

Another MWP, ranked no. 5 in Leyte province, was ordered arrested by Judge Lauro Andres Castillo Jr. of the Carigara RTC Br. 36 with no bail recommended for his temporary freedom.

A 6th most wanted man in Borongan City in Eastern Samar was arrested on the strength of a warrant for rape with no bail recommended by Judge Elvie Lim of the Borongan City RTC Br. 1.

The 8th, described as the 2nd MWP in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, was arrested on the basis of a warrant for murder with no bail recommended by Judge Jeofere Acebedo of the Cagayan de Oro City RTC Br. 41.

Another identified as “Charlie”, tagged as the 10th MWP in Jose Abad Santos municipality in Davao Occidental, was arrested on the strength of a non-bailable warrant of arrest for murder issued by Judge Carmelita Davin of the Malita RTC Br. 20.

Two others tagged as the 8th, and 9th MWPs in the Caraga region were arrested based on a warrant for kidnapping and serious illegal detention issued by Judge Merlyn Pacaro-Cañedo of the Bislig City RTC Br. 29 with no bail recommended for their liberty.

The 12th wanted suspect was nabbed for violation of RA 9165 on orders of Judge Francisco Roberto Quilala of the Laoag City RTC Br. 14. The suspect was described as the no. 1 MWP in Ilocos Norte, where he has been linked to illegal drugs and car theft activities before his arrest in Bgy. 25 in Santa Cayetana in Laoag City, said Cruz.