Iloilo: Operatives from various police units of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO6) have arrested the most wanted person of the Police Regional Office 4A (Calabarzon).

According to Philippines News Agency, alias "Seph," 52, a resident of Barangay San Isidro, Sibunag, Guimaras, was arrested at around 12:30 p.m. on Monday in Barangay THT and P in Maasin, Iloilo where he was hiding. The arrest was carried out by operatives from the Sibunag Municipal Police Station (MPS), in coordination with the Guimaras Police Provincial Office-Provincial Intelligence Unit (GPPO-PIU), Regional Intelligence Unit - Provincial Intelligence Team Guimaras (RIU 6 PIT), and Maasin MPS, by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by a Laguna court last April 11.

The suspect was charged with 75 counts of statutory rape and 19 additional counts of statutory rape as defined and penalized under Article 266 (a) paragraph 1 of the Revised Penal Code as amended by Republic Act (RA) 8353 (Anti-Rape Law of 1996) and further amended by RA 11648 (Act Raising the Age of Sexual Content). He was also charged with acts of lasciviousness in relation to RA 7610 (Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act).

The court set bail for the acts of lasciviousness case at PHP80,000, while no bail was recommended for the statutory rape charges. The suspect is now in the custody of the arresting police officers pending his turnover to the concerned court.

PRO6 director Brig. Gen. Josefino Ligan commended the units involved in the arrest of the suspect. 'This accomplishment highlights the effectiveness of intelligence coordination and the dedication of our units in pursuing justice beyond boundaries,' he said in a statement.