Most wanted person in Camarines Sur arrested for second time—CIDG

CIDG Director Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The most wanted person in Camarines Sur, who allegedly killed a government official in 1995 and was previously arrested in March last year, has been arrested again Saturday.

Police Director Samuel D. Pagdilao, Jr., CIDG chief, identified the suspect as Juanito Ona, 42, alias “Totoy Ona,” and said in a statement released Tuesday that he was “listed as Camarines Sur’s most wanted person with a DILG monetary reward of P175,000.”

Ona was allegedly the gunman in the killing of Ernesto Tria, a regional director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), at the Naga City airport in 1995, Police Senior Superintendent, Pedro B. Cabatingan, Jr. of the Legazpi City CIDG said in the statement.

Ona is also believed to be behind a number of armed robberies of buses and establishments, Pagdilao said.

He was previously arrested in March of 2011 through three warrants of arrest issued by local courts for two counts of murder and one count of robbery, he said.

Ona managed to walk free when the murder cases were dismissed and he posted bail for the robbery case.

He was arrested anew by virtue of “a warrant of arrest issued by Branch 76 of the Quezon City and Branch 23 of the Naga City Regional Trial Courts for murder and robbery, respectively,” Pagdilao said.

“Subject is currently under detention/custody of BJMP Naga City awaiting transport by plane to Metro Manila and pending return of warrant of arrest to the issuing court,” Cabatingan said.