CIDG team nabs fugitive in Sorsogon port

NAGA CITY–A fugitive wanted for a string of criminal cases, including car theft and robbery, was arrested by a team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at dawn Monday in Pilar Port in Sorsogon.

Chief Inspector Errol T. Garchitorena, CIDG chief in Sorsogon, in a text message, said the fugitive, Ariel A. Gimena aka Nonoy Villanueva, 31, a native of Masbate City, was held as he was about to board a boat to Masbate at around 4:30 a.m.

Garchitorena, team leader of the manhunt operation, said the CIDG team pounced on Gimena after receiving a tip from its national office.

Aside from two car theft and three robbery cases, Gimena had been wanted for four cases of violating the election law.

Garchitorena said Gimena has pending cases at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 125 in Caloocan City, RTC Branch 205 in Quezon City and RTC Branch 72 in Olongapo City.

Police believe Gimena is one of the leaders of the criminal syndicate “Ilongo/Wara-Waray Group” and an active member of “Andrew Lagos/Holdup Group.”

He is now under CIDG custody in Sorsogon City and waiting his turnover to the courts that issued warrants for his arrest. AU