Most Wanted Rape Suspect Arrested in Tampilisan After Decades on the Run
Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, April 17, 2026- A 52-year-old man listed as a Most Wanted Person for a rape case was arrested in Barangay Poblacion, Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte, in a joint law enforcement operation the other day.
The suspect, a driver and resident of Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte, was apprehended by the Tracker Team of the Zamboanga del Norte 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, in coordination with troops from the 97th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police through the Tampilisan Municipal Police Station.
Authorities said the individual is facing a rape charge under Criminal Case No. S-2750, based on a warrant of arrest issued by Wilfredo G. Ochotorena, Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 11 in Sindangan, dated July 29, 1996.
ADVERTISEMENTThe warrant carries no recommended bail, indicating the seriousness of the offense and requiring the suspect’s continued detention pending court proceedings. Following the arrest, the suspect was brought to the Tampilisan Rural Health Unit for a medical examination before being placed under temporary detention at the Tampilisan Municipal Police Station.
Authorities said the successful operation reflects their continuing efforts to locate and apprehend long-wanted individuals and ensure that justice is served, even in cases that have remained unresolved for many years.
