M'lang: Joint operatives from the Police Regional Office-Soccsksargen Region (PRO-12) successfully apprehended the region's most wanted individual during a law enforcement operation on Wednesday in M'lang, North Cotabato. Brig. Gen. Arnold Ardiente, PRO-12 regional director, identified the suspect as 'Fred,' 39, a laborer residing in Makilala town.

According to Philippines News Agency, he was apprehended at 9:30 a.m. by combined elements of the Makilala Municipal Police, M'lang Municipal Police Station, and the Provincial Intelligence Unit, all operating under the North Cotabato Police Provincial Office. Serving as backup personnel were teams from the Regional Intelligence Division tracker team Echo and the Criminal and Intelligence Detection Group-North Cotabato field unit.

'The suspect was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for acts of lasciviousness, with a recommended bail of PHP180,000, and statutory rape, with no bail recommended,' Ardiente said in a radio interview on Wednesday. The warrant was issued by the Regional Trial Court, 12th Judicial Region, Branch 23, Kidapawan City on Aug. 31, 2023.

'Fred' is now detained at the Makilala municipal police station detention facility.