Masbate: Bicol police arrested the No. 1 most wanted person in the region, known as 'Jake,' a member of the New People's Army (NPA) operating in Masbate, the Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) said Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, PRO-5 director Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr. reported that the 35-year-old suspect, a resident of Masbate City, is associated with the Komiteng Larangang Gerilya (KLG) North, which is part of the Sub-Regional Committee 4 (SRC4) of the Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC). He reportedly operates under the command of Luding Tolingin, also known as 'Daddy' or 'Herman'.
'Jake' has been the subject of multiple arrest warrants issued by various Regional Trial Courts (RTC) in Masbate City. The warrants stem from his alleged involvement in serious crimes, including one count of frustrated murder, four counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and two violations of international humanitarian law.
The warrants were mostly issued between February 2021 and February 2022, highlighting the long-standing pursuit of the suspect due to the severity and number of crimes he allegedly committed. Following his arrest, Jake was taken to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Masbate.
