CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – Police successfully captured three of Nueva Ecija’s most wanted criminals in a series of operations on Monday, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO-3) reported Tuesday (Feb. 18).
PRO-3 said in a statements, the arrests, carried out on Monday, underscore its commitment to tracking down fugitives and maintaining public safety across Central Luzon.
According to Col. Ferdinand Germino, Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO), the first operation unfolded at 10:15 a.m. when operatives from the Cabanatuan City Police Station apprehended Elmer Hernandez, 44 years old, ranked eighth on Nueva Ecija’s wanted list. He was apprehended by operatives in Barangay DS Garcia, Cabanatuan City.
Hernandez is wanted for a drug case by the Gapan City Regional Trial Court Branch 36, with no bail recommended. The wanted person remains in custody at the Cabanatuan City Police Station Male Custodial Facility, awaiting legal proceedings.
Fifteen minutes later, at 10:30 a.m., a joint operation by the Guimba Municipal Police Station (MPS) and other law enforcement agencies led to the capture of Jerick Zaragosa, 20, the province’s top wanted individual.
Zaragosa, wanted for murder, was arrested under a warrant issued by RTC Branch 31 in Guimba, also with no bail recommended. He is currently detained at the Guimba MPS custodial facility.
At 1 p.m., on the same day, police apprehended Jade Ventura, 19, the second most wanted person in the region, also for murder charges.
Ventura was captured in Barangay Nagpandayan, Guimba, and is now in police custody.
Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, Regional Director of PRO3, lauded the successful operations and reaffirmed PRO3’s unyielding stance against criminality.
“These arrests make one thing clear: fugitives have nowhere to hide in Central Luzon. PRO3 will relentlessly track down and apprehend criminals, ensuring they face the full force of the law. As we intensify security measures ahead of the upcoming elections, our police force will sustain intelligence-driven operations and proactive law enforcement to keep our communities safe and secure,” Fajardo stated. (UnliNews Online)
