By Jennifer P. Rendon
Iloilo province’s eighth most wanted person was arrested on the evening of September 17 in the City Proper district of Iloilo City.
The suspect, identified as alias Berle, 57, of Barangay Abilay Sur, Oton, Iloilo, was apprehended at his hiding place on Rizal Street in Barangay Tanza, City Proper.
Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 7, along with the Oton Municipal Police Station and the Regional Intelligence Unit 6, arrested Berle by virtue of an arrest warrant for rape.
Judge Globert Justalero of the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Iloilo City issued the warrant. No bail was recommended for the suspect’s temporary release.
According to Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) records, Berle was one of 26 individuals arrested in Western Visayas within a 24-hour period.
Of those arrested, three were tagged as most wanted persons, while 23 were categorized as other wanted individuals.
Brigadier General Jack Wanky, Western Visayas police chief, commended the coordination between police units and the strong community support that led to the arrests.
“Let us maintain this close coordination and collaboration so we can locate more wanted persons who are still in hiding,” Wanky said.