ILOILO City – A former policeman accused of rape and was able to evade arrest for over a decade was arrested.
Leonaldo Soberano was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Antonio Natino of the Regional Trial Court Branch 26 here for the crimes of rape and attempted homicide.
The 58-year-old Soberano of Jaro district was formerly assigned at the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
His last assignment was at the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, particularly at municipal police station of San Miguel, Iloilo, according to PRO-6 spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong.
He went absent without official leave in 2010 to dodge the rape complaint filed by his then 18-year-old household helper.
The Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group Visayas Field Office managed to track and cuff Soberano in his hiding place in Barangay San Agustin, San Fernando, Pampanga on Jan. 8.
Seized from his possession were a .45-caliber pistol and an airsoft gun.
He was detained and will soon be brought back to Iloilo City./PN
