By Jennifer P. Rendon
At the height of its role in the fight against COVID-19, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) avowed that its campaign against criminality will not wane.
And one way to do it is to arrest wanted persons.
On Wednesday, Police Colonel Paul Kenneth Lucas, Iloilo police chief, said the Iloilo police force remains relentless in running after wanted persons.
In fact, IPPO units have arrested 459 wanted persons from January to July 2020.
The record is 7 percent higher than last year’s 429 arrested wanted persons.
Ajuy Police Station posted the most arrests with 27 while Oton is in second spot with 23.
Barotac Viejo Police Station arrested 21; Cabatuan and Dumangas police stations with 20 each; and Passi City and Barotac Nuevo police stations with 19 each.
Lucas said he ordered police station chiefs to heighten their operations and arrest wanted persons who remain at-large.
“We should not allow them (wanted criminals) to go on scot-free. They have to face court to answer the crime they have committed,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the first three days of August, twelve police stations made good progress with the arrest of 20 wanted persons.
Lambunao and Pavia Municipal Police Stations have three arrested wanted persons; Miag-ao, Tigbauan, Banate, and Dingle have two each; and Leon, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, San Enrique, Ajuy, and Batad MPS have arrested one each.
Meanwhile, Lucas appealed anew to the people of Iloilo Province to stay vigilant against wanted persons or other suspicious individuals or groups in their area and report them to the nearest police station.
“The public remains to be our eyes and ears in running after wanted persons,” he said.
