PRO-CAR weeklong manhunt ops Net 24 wanted persons, 61 municipalities record zero crimes
The continuous efforts of the Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO-CAR) to ensure peace and order in the region resulted in the arrest of 24 wanted personalities, including seven Top Most Wanted Persons (TMWPs), while 61 municipalities were crime free from November 17 to 23, 2024.
According to reports from the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division of PRO-CAR, the Baguio City Police Office (CPO) recorded the highest number of arrests, apprehending 12 wanted persons. This was followed by the Ifugao Police Provincial Office (PPO) with four arrests, Benguet PPO with three arrests, Abra PPO with two arrests, and the Apayao PPO, Kalinga PPO, and Mountain Province PPO with one arrest each.
Among the seven apprehended TMWPs, five were identified as TMWP at the provincial level, while two were at the municipal level. They were arrested for violations including rape, R.A. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), two counts of lascivious conduct under R.A. 7610 (Anti-Child Abuse Law), statutory rape, and murder.
The campaign also significantly contributed to crime prevention, with zero crime incidents recorded across 61 municipalities in the region. This includes 24 municipalities in Abra, ten municipalities in Mountain Province, nine municipalities in Benguet, eight municipalities in Ifugao, six municipalities in Apayao, and four municipalities in Kalinga. Additionally, Police Station (PS) 1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, PS7, PS8, and PS10 of Baguio City Police Office also recorded zero crime incidents.
RACU-CAR Arrests Couple for Selling Pre-Registered SIM Cards in Pangasinan
A couple will now be facing charges for violation of Republic Act 11934, also known as the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, following their arrest for selling pre-registered SIM cards in Pangasinan on November 26, 2024.
According to reports from the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit Cordillera Administrative Region (RACU-CAR), the suspects, identified as a 28-year-old female and a 31-year-old male, both residents of Pozorrubio, were arrested following an entrapment operation jointly conducted by personnel of the RACU-CAR and the Pozorrubio Police Station of the Police Regional Office 1.
The operatives discovered the couple’s illegal activities through social media, where they advertised the sale of pre-registered SIM cards of a buy-and-sell group. An undercover police officer then negotiated a transaction with the couple to meet in Brgy. Cablong, Pozorrubio. During the operation, the couple was arrested after selling 588 pieces of pre-registered and unregistered DITO SIM cards worth PhP8,820.00.
The marking and inventory of the seized evidence were conducted on-site in the presence of the suspects and witnesses. Subsequently, the suspects were taken to the Pozorrubio Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
In his message, PCOL LARRY D BUANSI, Chief of RACU-CAR, emphasized the seriousness of the offense: “This operation underscores our commitment to enforcing the law and safeguarding public safety. The illegal trade of pre-registered SIM cards poses a significant threat to our digital security. We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.”
Also, RACU-CAR encourages the public to report cybercrime-related activities by contacting their unit or its Cyber Response Teams through their hotlines or official social media accounts to help prevent the proliferation of illegal activities and protect the public from cybercrime.**
