ILOILO City – Around 6:40 a.m. yesterday in Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan, Western Visayas’ No. 1 most wanted person was arrested.
Rape suspect Delson Rondario, 33, of Barangay Rosario, Malinao, Aklan was also the No. 1 most wanted person in Aklan.
Operatives of the Aklan Police Provincial Office and Malinao municipal police station served to Rondario an arrest warrant issued by Presiding Judge Bienvinido P. Barrios Jr. of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 3 (Kalibo, Aklan).
Rondario was charged with statutory rape (Criminal Case No. 16339).
Under a new law signed recently by outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte (Republic 11468 amending the Revised Penal Code and the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act), any adult engaging in sexual contact with anyone 16 or under would be committing statutory rape, unless the age difference between them was three years or less and sex was proven to be consensual, and neither abusive nor exploitative.
The law, however, states that the exemption does not apply if the victim is under 13 years old.
No bail bond was recommended for Rondario’s temporary liberty.
Police Brigadier General Leo Francisco, Police Regional Office 6 director, congratulated the operating team.
“Our campaign against wanted persons will be relentless,” he said.
Rondario is presently in the custody of the Malinao police./PN
