ILOILO – In a sweeping campaign to ensure peaceful elections, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) arrested 308 wanted individuals from January 12 to May 18, including 83 top fugitives, in intensified operations across the province.
The arrests coincided with the enforcement of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gun ban and formed part of IPPO’s broader push to neutralize criminal threats ahead of the May 12 midterm polls.
IPPO officer-in-charge Police Colonel Roland Bulalacao said the aggressive campaign was crucial in securing communities and preventing potential disruptions to the democratic process.
Among those apprehended, 83 were tagged as most wanted, including individuals listed among the top 10 in various jurisdictions. The remainder faced charges for lesser offenses.
“Our tracker teams and police chiefs have shown unwavering commitment,” Bulalacao said. “Their efforts were instrumental in helping us achieve our goal of zero election-related violent incidents in the province.”
He also commended the collaboration between municipal police stations and IPPO’s tracker teams, citing the coordinated manhunt operations that led to the arrests.
Bulalacao added that the operations would continue beyond the elections to further boost public safety and uphold the rule of law./PN
