A former soldier, tagged as the second most wanted person in Compostela Valley, was arrested in the island town of San Pascual, Masbate, Bicol last Thursday, authorities said yesterday.
Maj. Jason Baria, the spokesperson of the Davao Police Regional Office, identified the suspect as Michael Flores Rectin, 39, who was staying in Sitio Ki-Ramona, Barangay Laurente, San Pascual.
Baria said Rectin, the Number 2 Most Wanted Person Provincial Level in Compostela Valley, is facing murder and frustrated murder charges for a case that allegedly happened in Maco town way back in 2015.
Once assigned in the province, the soldier reportedly fled the town after the case was filed. No further background of the murder incident was reported.
The raiding team was armed with arrest warrant issued by Judge Virginia Tehano-Ang of Regional Trial Court Branch 3 in Nabuntaran, Compostela Valley in 2015.
Operatives arrested Rectin inside his house at around 3 p.m. on Thursday.
The team was composed of elements from the Maco Municipal Police Station, Intelligence Branch of the Compostela Valley Police Provincial Office and the San Pascual Municipal Police Station of Masbate Provincial Office in Region 5 (Bicol).
Rectin is now temporarily detained at the San Pascual police station pending his transfer to Maco.
Brig. Gen. Marcelo Morales, the Davao police regional director, attributed the success of the intensified police campaign against fugitives to the cooperation of other security forces and the peace-loving community.
“I am commending the troops for their accomplishments and we will not stop until we have fully put all criminals behind bars,” he added.
