Over 200 wanted persons arrested in Caraga — PNP

MANILA, Philippines — More than 200 wanted persons were arrested by authorities in the Caraga region for the month of May, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Thursday.

According to PNP, its attentive operations against individuals with standing warrants of arrest within the region resulted in the apprehension of 267 wanted persons — 46 were most wanted, and 220 were categorized as other wanted persons.

The Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (PPO) recorded the highest number of arrests at 64, followed by the Butuan City Police Office with 59 arrests; Agusan del Sur PPO (55); Surigao del Norte PPO (52); Agusan del Norte (28); and Dinagat Islands (9).

Based on the report, authorities arrested five individuals considered most wanted persons at the regional level, 16 at the provincial level, and 26 at the municipal level.

Among those collared by operatives of Surigao del Sur PPO was the region’s number one most wanted person, Joel Belandres, a 51-year-old member of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).

Belandres currently faces three counts of murder, five counts of frustrated murder, and attempted murder and was allegedly involved in numerous CTG atrocities in Caraga, the police said.

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JPV