ZAMBOANGA CITY – Authorities arrested a wanted person who had been hiding for 17 years, and an alleged child abuser in separate law enforcement operations in the region, police officials said Thursday.
Arrested were Alvin Lumonah, 52, the 8th most wanted person in the Zamboanga Peninsula, and Benjamin Siote, 60, who allegedly sexually assaulted his granddaughter last year.
Brig. Gen. Neil Alinsangan, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) chief, said Lumonah has been hiding for the past 17 years.
He was arrested in an operation around 5 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Sinaman, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.
Alinsangan said Lumonah, of Barangay Makiang, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, was arrested through the utilization of active Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) members.
Lumonah has standing warrants of arrest for two counts of murder issued by the court of Siocon dated Dec. 17, 2004 with no recommended bail.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. John Francis Encinareal, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9 head, said Siote was collared around 2:40 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Curuan here.
Siote has a pending warrant of arrest for violation of Republic Act 7610 known as the “Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”
The CIDG official said the suspect allegedly sexually assaulted his granddaughter and the mother of the victim was the one who pressed charges. (PNA)
