MANILA, Philippines—Eight of Quezon City’s most wanted men have been taken off the streets within a span of two weeks following the formation of police teams whose sole task is to go after these notorious lawbreakers.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Senior Supt. Joel Pagdilao announced the arrest of six men wanted for robbery and two for selling drugs from Oct. 29 to Nov. 12.
The QCPD earlier identified 126 criminals with outstanding arrest warrants after Pagdilao ordered each of the 12 police stations in the city to list down the 10 most wanted men in their area of jurisdiction.
Tracker teams were then formed in each police station whose sole task was to go after the men on their list.
“In identifying these [most wanted criminals], our primary [criterion] was if their arrest would reduce crime. Our intended effect was … crime reduction,” Pagdilao told reporters.
So far, the police’s efforts seem to have paid off as robbery and theft incidents have gone down to 154 this week compared to 237 cases in the early part of October when Pagdilao assumed office.
On Oct. 29, robbery-snatching suspect Roy Zabala was the first to be arrested. He was second on the wanted list of the La Loma police station.
He was followed by two robbery suspects—Project 4 police station’s fifth most wanted Delfin “Jambo” Balbuena and the Galas police station’s second most wanted man, Reymart Tabuena—on Oct. 31.
Next to be arrested was the man on the top of the Anonas police station’s wanted list, Ronnie “Onnie” Gelera, a holdup suspect. Pagdilao said that Gelera, who was caught on Nov. 1, headed one of seven motorcycle-riding criminal groups operating in the city.
Talipapa policemen also caught the most wanted man on their list, Emmanuel Armas, who was wanted for robbery with homicide. On top of this, he was also ninth on the city’s most wanted list.
On Nov. 9. robbery suspect Alex Lachica—who came in 10th on the Cubao police station’s wanted list—was arrested. The next day, the La Loma police station also caught its 10th most wanted man, drug peddler Roberto de los Reyes.
Another drug pusher, Emmanuel Obligar, ninth on the Kamuning police station’s list, was arrested on Wednesday.