CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Authorities arrested a wanted person in Camarines Sur during a manhunt operation in Arayat town, this province on Wednesday afternoon, ending more than two decades of hiding.
In his report on Thursday, Brig. Gen. Jose S. Hidalgo Jr., director of the Police Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3), identified the suspect as Leo Villamor, 43, a resident of Barangay Telapayong, Arayat, who was apprehended by joint operatives of Arayat Municipal Police Station, 303rd Maneuver Company Regional Mobile Force 3 and Siruma Municipal Police Station-Camarines Sur Police Province Office.
Hidalgo said Villamor has a standing alias warrant of arrest for murder under Criminal Case No. 03-765 issued by Judge Freddie D. Balonzo of Regional Trial Court, 5th Judicial Region, Branch 63, Calabanga, Camarines Sur on Jan. 16, 2002 with no bail recommended.
He said the suspect went into hiding for more than 21 years prior to his arrest in this province.
The PRO-3 chief said the arrest of Villamor is a result of intel-driven operations and diligent effort of the operatives to place lawless elements behind the bars of justice.
Meanwhile, five people, including two students, ended up in jail for allegedly transporting 362 sacks of undocumented charcoal worth some PHP126,700 in Barangay Poblacion, Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija, also on Wednesday.
Maj. Roderick Corpuz, Peñaranda town police chief, said operatives were conducting mobile patrolling when they chanced upon a wing-van type forward truck (AWA 6851) with five people on board.
The suspects were identified as Crispin Pajarillaga, 32, truck driver of Barangay Sampaguita; Sherwin Samson, 36; co-driver, of Barangay Pias; Darwin Bacani, 27, of Barangay Concepcion; and the two male students who reportedly worked as helpers, all from General Tinio town, also in Nueva Ecija.
Police identified said the owner of the charcoal, identified as Mark Joseph Abes, was not around during the incident.
“While traversing on the said road (the truck) was flagged down and upon inspection found out that it was loaded with 362 sacks of charcoal without proper pertinent documents,” Corpuz said in his report to Nueva Ecija police director, Col. Richard Caballero.
Charges of violation of Presidential Decree 705 or Forest Protection Law were filed against the suspects before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Cabanatuan City. (PNA)
