BONTOC, Mountain Province – Twenty two wanted persons were successively arrested by combined police operatives and intelligence agents in separate operations during the first quarter of the year.
Senior Superintendent Allen S. Ocden, provincial director of the Mountain Province Police Office, said of the arrested wanted persons, 1 individual considered to be one of the top most wanted persons in the region who was charged for rape fell in the hands of law enforcers while 2 persons considered to be top most wanted persons in the provincial level facing homicide and incestuous rape were also collared by the alert police operatives.
He added that the 19 arrested wanted persons are facing other crimes that were charged against them by their victims.
On illegal logging, Ocden reported that law enforcers were able to recover some 830 board feet of abandoned pine lumber with a market value of P24,900 at sitio Tanap, Bagnen Proper, Bauko, Mountain Province during their anti-illegal logging operation last January 11, 2018.
On March 27, 2018, combined police operatives also recovered assorted sizes of abandoned lumber totalling to some 768board feet with an estimated market value of P20,736 at sitio Gutang and Baan, Balintaugan and Maket-an, Tadian, Mountain Province.
Further, Ocden claimed combined police operatives were also able to recover some 61.66 board feet of abandoned pine lumber with estimated market value of P4,849.98 which was left by still unidentified illegal loggers at sitio Malupa, Abatan, Bauko last April 3, 2018.
In sitio Lasig, Patay, Sagada, police operatives recovered some 2,518.665 board feet of freshly cut pine limber with an estimated market value of P75,559 during an anti-illegal logging operation on April 9, 2018 after receiving a report on alleged illegal cutting of trees in the area.
Ocden claimed in separate anti-illegal logging operations on April 13, 2018, combined police operatives were able to confiscate some 3,699 board of tuay lumber at sitio Sabalan, Bacarri, Paracelis and some 234 board feet of white lawan lumber at sitio Mabullong, Bantay, Paracelis with an estimated market value of P6,318.
On April 14, 2018, combined police operatives were able to seize some 256 board feet of pine lumber with an estimated market value of P5,700, 2 gallons motor oil, 1 tape measure and other personal belongings during an anti-illegal logging operation at Ganggangsaan, Kin-iway, Besao while same police operatives were able to confiscate some 4,905.325 board feet of pine lumber with an estimated market value of P141,762.93 were seized in the area but the three suspects who were responsible for the illegal activity fled towards Agawa barangay.
On anti-illegal gambling, Ocden disclosed that upon receipt of reports from concerned citizens on the presence of illegal gambling in Bontoc and Bauko, police operatives immediately conducted the necessary operations that resulted to the arrest of a total of 10 individuals involved in illegal gambling which resulted to the filing of the appropriate charges against them before the provincial prosecutor’s office.
Ocden assured the people of Mountain Province of unrelenting and uncompromising anti-criminality, anti-terrorism and peacekeeping initiatives to ensure sustained peace and order in the province. By HENT
