PRO-8 manhunt operations yield 277 wanted persons

PALO, Leyte — The Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas (PRO-8) arrested 277 wanted individuals from 1 to 19 September as authorities intensified manhunt operations across the region.

PRO-8 said 41 of those arrested were classified as Most Wanted Persons (MWPs), while 236 were Other Wanted Persons (OWPs).

The Leyte Police Provincial Office recorded the highest number of arrests with 88, consisting of 10 MWPs and 78 OWPs.

The Tacloban City Police Office followed with 64 arrests, including two MWPs and 62 OWPs, while the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office recorded 37, including six MWPs and 31 OWPs.

The Samar Police Provincial Office reported 35 arrests, including 11 MWPs and 24 OWPs. Eastern Samar recorded 17, Southern Leyte had 16 and Biliran registered 10.

Meanwhile, the Ormoc City Police Office accounted for seven arrests, while the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 apprehended three OWPs.

The operations were conducted during the first weeks of newly installed PRO-8 regional director Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño's tenure.

Cardiño said police would sustain operations to locate individuals with standing warrants and ensure that their cases proceed through the judicial process.

“We will continue to strengthen our efforts and coordination among our police units to locate and lawfully apprehend wanted individuals. We also urge the public to share any information that may help authorities in carrying out these operations,” he said.