The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it is actively tracking down former Bureau of Corrections director general Gerald Bantag and other high-profile fugitives, stressing that arrest operations are being conducted carefully and by the book — amid reports Bantag may be in the Cordillera region.

In a Palace press briefing, PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the police will not rush in based solely on tips, underscoring the need to strictly follow procedures in serving warrants of arrest.

“Of course, as I said, we have procedures for implementing warrants of arrest. It’s not as simple as receiving information that someone is in a certain place and immediately rushing in,” he said.

Nartatez noted that Bantag was not alone in the case, with four co-accused also facing warrants.

“Our operations will be deliberate, and everything will be properly planned and organized,” he emphasized.

Nartatez recalled that two of those named were previously arrested in Lipa City during his stint as NCRPO regional director, highlighting the PNP’s track record in pursuing suspects across regions.

The PNP chief said the manhunt is part of a broader nationwide drive, revealing that over 200,000 individuals are currently covered by warrants of arrest.

Of those, around 110,000 were arrested in 2025 alone.

“Our PNP is taking action — day after day, week after week, month after month,” he said.

“Our police never sleep.”

On fugitives believed to be abroad, including former lawmaker Zaldy Co and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Nartatez said the PNP is coordinating with international police partners under existing agreements to facilitate their arrest and return to the Philippines.

“We have other partners, stakeholders, especially the international partners abroad. We have international police to help us, we have a memorandum of agreement and understanding with them for implementation of a warrant of arrest, and these are functioning,” he noted.