PRO-8 cops arrest 270 of nearly 3T fugitives
PALO, LEYTE — At least 270 out of 2,928 fugitives in Eastern Visayas were arrested, after simultaneous police operation were conducted last week, since the assumption of Chief Superintendent Gilberto Cruz, as Police Regional Office-8 director, on August 30 this year.
Cruz said this is a breakthrough in the campaign against wanted persons in the region, which he implemented after getting alarmed over the high number of fugitives, mostly facing rape or murder cases, with unserved warrants of arrest.
"Naka-alarma dahil nakita ko napakarami pala ng warrants of arrest sa mga wanted ng batas na may mga kaso ng rape, at nakita ko ring maraming kaso ng rape in Region 8," Cruz told The FREEMAN.
During the meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council, police records showed that at least 105 rape cases were recorded from January to this date, this year.
The implementation of the warrants of arrest also resulted in the arrests of 20 fugitives who were in the lists of top 10 most wanted persons in the municipal and city levels. It was noted that some of them have been into hiding for a number of years since.
PRO-8’s records on crimes in the region, from August to September this year, showed that theft is the most common with 37 incidents, followed by murder with 32, homicide with 29, rape with 18, robbery with 13, and physical injuries with 11.
In the case of non-index crimes, such as illegal drugs pushing, PRO-8 recorded a total of 130 arrests over the same period, according to the region’s top police official.
Cruz later presented the leadership accomplishments of provincial police units, with the Leyte Police Provincial Office making a total of 97 arrests, followed by the Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office with 38, and the Samar Police Provincial Office with 33.
"We have to enforce the law to get these wanted persons answer whatever crimes they committed, so as for us to maintain peace and order, ensure safety and security of the entire community, and to give these persons a chance to defend themselves in court,” Cruz added.