Nine of top 10 fugitives fall in Central Luzon

Nine of Central Luzon’s ten most dangerous fugitives are now in custody, but the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) said Thursday the operation’s true goal is “ensuring families sleep safely, not chasing numbers.”

The suspects — linked to drug trafficking near schools, contract killings, and a ₱50-million Ponzi scheme targeting retirees — posed direct threats to households. Regional Director PBGen. Rogelio Peñones Jr. vowed to hunt the final fugitive, stressing that no community should live in fear while threats exist.

“Kaligtasan ng bawat pamilya ang pinakamahalagang layunin dito — at hangga’t may banta, hindi titigil ang mga kapulisan," Peñones told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Among those captured were a Bulacan syndicate leader accused of funneling methamphetamine to minors and a Nueva Ecija suspect tied to violent home invasions. The ninth arrest exposed a fraud ring that drained retirees’ life savings.

PRO3 credited community collaboration for the breakthroughs, including a teacher’s tip about drug activity near a high school. The regional force expanded night patrols and launched a hotline for urgent reports.

Peñones said success is defined not by arrest tallies but by whether children play safely outdoors, vendors can shutter shops without fear, and every threat is relentlessly hunted down.