ILOILO CITY-- The arrest of the most wanted person in Western Visayas would greatly contribute to the improvement of peace and order in the region, said the top police official in Iloilo on Saturday.
Sr. Supt. Marlon Tayaba, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), presented Antonio Aquino, 48 of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, a suspect in three separate killings in 2002.
The suspect has a PHP300,000 reward for his capture.
“The warrant for his arrest was released by the court in 2002. We have been looking for him for about 14 to 15 years already,” Tayaba said.
He added that Aquino’s arrest would have great impact on the peace and order situation in Western Visayas as “people committing crimes are expected to minimize their actions and wanted persons will also be alerted” as the police have shown their persistence in going after criminals.
The apprehension of the suspect “increased the confidence” of the people and law enforcers to find more wanted persons, he said.
Tayaba also vowed that more operations against wanted persons will be carried out in the region.
“We will do more to arrest more wanted persons,” he said.
Aquino was arrested in Marikina City on Friday by the members of the IPPO, the Regional Intelligence Division-6, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Manila, and the Marikina policemen.
Aquino, who has been in hiding for more than 14 years, was collared inside the New Wave Mall where he was working as a janitor.
The suspect was brought to Iloilo City Saturday morning.
“We will return the warrant of arrest to the court then they will decide where to detain the suspect,” Tayaba said.
Aquino is the suspect in the killing of a government employee in Sta. Barbara town, also involved in a murder incident in Guimaras province, and accused of hacking a victim to death in Cabatuan, Iloilo. All killings took place in 2002. (PNA)
