CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — In just the first 20 days of 2026, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) recorded the arrest of 394 wanted persons across Central Luzon, reflecting the region’s sustained and coordinated manhunt operations against fugitives.
From January 1 to January 20, 2026, police units apprehended 275 Other Wanted Persons (OWP), 52 Most Wanted Persons (MWP), and 67 Top Ten Most Wanted Persons (TTMWP), based on consolidated reports from provincial and city police offices.
Of the 67 Top Ten Most Wanted Persons arrested, 10 were listed at the regional level, 39 at the provincial and highly urbanized city level, and 18 at the municipal level, underscoring the depth and reach of PRO3’s manhunt efforts across all jurisdictions.
A notable early accomplishment was the arrest of the Regional-Level Top Ten Most Wanted Persons within 48 hours, carried out on January 2, 2026, following rapid intelligence validation and synchronized tracker operations.
Police units in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan, Angeles City, Zambales, Aurora, and Olongapo City contributed to the results, with tracker teams working closely with the Regional Intelligence Division-Regional Special Operations Group and other intelligence units and police stations to locate and serve outstanding warrants.
P/Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr., Regional Director of PRO3, said the figures reflect consistent effort and discipline among operating units.
“These arrests show that our tracker teams remain focused and persistent. We continue to deny fugitives the chance to hide and evade justice,” Peñones said, adding that timely information-sharing and coordination remain critical to successful manhunt operations.
The accomplishments support Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO) and are in line with the PNP Focused Agenda of Acting Chief PNP, P/Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio C Nartatez Jr, as PRO3 continues to strengthen law enforcement efforts and reinforce peace and order across Central Luzon. ( UnliNews Online)
