A 71-year-old man listed as a National Most Wanted Person was arrested by police in a joint operation in Upi, Maguindanao del Norte, on the evening of 2 September 2026.

The suspect, identified as alias “Norman,” a married native of Sto. Tomas, Isabela, and currently residing in Barangay Nuro Poblacion, Upi, was wanted for murder and had a P50,000 reward for his arrest, according to the Police Regional Office 2 (PRO 2).

The operation was carried out at around 6:40 p.m. in Barangay Nuro Poblacion and was led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Isabela Provincial Field Unit, with support from personnel of various police units from Cagayan Valley and Mindanao, as well as the Regional Intelligence Unit 15.

Police served a warrant of arrest dated August 28, 2026, issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in the City of Ilagan, Isabela, for murder. The offense carried no recommended bail.

The warrant had also been entered into the e-Warrant System, allowing authorities to verify its validity before implementing the arrest.

Following the operation, alias “Norman” was placed under the custody of the CIDG Isabela PFU for proper disposition and eventual turnover to the issuing court.

PRO 2 Regional Director PBGen Mariano C. Rodriguez commended the participating police units for their coordination and efforts that led to the arrest of the wanted person.

“This arrest demonstrates that no matter how far a wanted person may go, the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with them,” Rodriguez said.

He said police personnel would continue pursuing individuals wanted by the courts while ensuring that arrests are conducted in accordance with the law and established procedures.

PRO 2 also urged the public to provide information that could help authorities locate wanted persons, assuring that information received would be properly validated and handled through appropriate police channels.