By Jennifer P. Rendon
The province of Negros Occidental posted the most number of arrested wanted persons in Western Visayas.
From January to December 2021, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 collared 5,751 wanted persons.
The number includes 883 (15.35 percent) persons classified as Most Wanted Persons (MWPs), or those persons in the most wanted list, and 4,868 (84.65 percent) categorized as Other Wanted Persons (OWPs).
Negros Occidental, the most populous area in the region, arrested 287 WMPs and 2,380 OWPs. The province’s total arrested persons 2,667 is about 46 person of the region’s total arrest.
Iloilo province also scored big after arresting 170 most wanted persons and 1,001 OWPs.
Bacolod City netted 97 MWPs and 511 OWPs; Capiz with 74 MWPs and 254 OWPs; Aklan with 73 MWPs and 231 OWPs; Iloilo City with 82 MWPs and 184 OWPs; Antique with 59 MWPs and 183 OWPs; Guimaras with 17 MWPs and 98 OWPs; and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit-Regional Field Unit 6 with 24 MWPs and 26 OWPs.
Overall, PRO-6’s performance in arresting wanted persons in 2021 is way better from its 2020 record which is at 4,370.
Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, PRO-6 spokesperson, said the recent arrests posted an 8 percent increase in collared MWPs and 24.2 percent for OWPs.
“Getting our streets rid of wanted persons is part of our anti-criminality efforts,” he said.
Solis explained that such effort could be equated to getting rid of criminals who could possibly repeat their offenses.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Flynn Dongbo, Western Visayas police chief, lauded all unit commanders and tracker teams for their relentless efforts in locating and bringing behind bars these wanted persons.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat ng ating mga kapulisan, dahil sa inyong sipag, dedikasyon at tiyaga marami tayong naarestong wanted persons. Sa mga naiwan pang mga wanted na nagtatago sa batas, ito ay nag papakita na kayo’y makapagtago sa ngayon, pero hindi ‘yan habang buhay. Saang sulok man ng mundo kayo magtatago, darating ang panahon na maabot kayo ng mahabang kamay ng ating batas at managot sa kremin na iyong nagawa,” Dongbo said.
