Cordillera’s No. 1 most wanted person arrested in Abra

The Cordillera region’s number one most wanted person, identified by the alias ‘Ernesto,’ was arrested in Barangay Talogtog, Dolores, Abra. The suspect faces 39 counts of qualified rape of a minor.

The arrest was conducted on August 18 by the 11th Special Action Battalion of the Special Action Force, providing support to the Dolores Municipal Police Station. A warrant for the arrest was issued on July 2, 2025, by the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Bangued, Abra. Following his apprehension, the suspect was documented at the Dolores Municipal Police Station before being turned over to the issuing court.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief PGen. Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated that the force remains committed to locating wanted individuals and enforcing court-issued warrants. Recent data from the Police Regional Office Cordillera indicated a decline in reported rape cases in the region between April and July 2026, with 40 cases recorded compared to 31 fewer cases during the same period in 2025.