Kidnapper from Bicol arrested in Talaingod

A MOST wanted person involved in a series of kidnap for ransom cases in Masbate was arrested by police operatives in Talaingod, Davao del Norte on Thursday.

Major Jason Baria, the spokesperson of Police Regional Office 11, identified the suspected fugitive as Richard Gulfan Orayan, 43, married, who was a transient resident of Purok 1, Sto. Niño, Talaingod where he was arrested at around 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

Baria said the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) 11 and the Talaingod Municipal Police Station conducted the Manhunt Charlie operation with the coordination of the RIU in Region 5 (Bicol Region) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame.

The agents served the

warrant of arrest issued by Judge Jacinta Tambago of Regional Trial Court Branch 48 in Masbate City in a kidnapping case dated back in 2009.

Included in the national list of Most Wanted Persons, Orayan was a member of the Pepino Kidnap for Ransom Group who served as abductor, guard and tipster.

Baria said Orayan, based on the records, was involved in several kidnapping cases: Enrique Carlos in October 2005, Josuha Ferias in January 2006, Anton Yang Jr in February 2006, Santos Nang in April 2006, Kenneth Mark Jade Reyes in November 2006, Jasmin Perez in December 2006, and Reynaldo Santillan in December 2008.

Orayan, temporarily detained at the RIU-Davao, will be shipped to Bicol to face the crminal charges.

Brig. Gen. Marcelo Morales, regional director, said Davao is not a good place for criminals to hide as they always conduct manhunt operations against wanted persons.

Morales urged residents to stop hiding criminals and/or report any suspicious person or stranger in the community.

“Let us stop harboring criminals in our homes,” Morales said.

He urged residents “to notify your nearest local police stations, or thru PRO 11 Hotline numbers and social media pages, for any suspicious people or activity happening in your locality.”