THE PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) yesterday reported 11 minors were rescued by police operatives last month as part of the government’s campaign against cybercrimes.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the ACG said 153 suspects were arrested during the police operations. Of these, 119 were nabbed during entrapment operations, while the 34 others were apprehended by virtue of arrest warrants.
It said the 11 minors were victims of online sexual abuse and trafficking in persons.
The ACG said the top five laws violated by the suspects were the SIM Registration Act, Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, Chain Saw Act, and Revised Penal Code, specifically grave coercion, all in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
It added that 14 of the arrested suspects were involved in the unauthorized practice of dentistry.
The ACG said the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of the victims were made during 159 operations conducted nationwide.
These operations, it added, are aligned with the directive of PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil “to intensify cybercrime investigation and promote a safer digital environment for all.”
“The PNP ACG remains committed to protecting the public from cybercriminals who exploit technology for illegal activities,” said ACG director Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang.
Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported that 1,296 wanted persons were arrested by police operatives across Metro Manila last month.
The NCRPO said 528 of the arrested individuals are tagged as “most wanted persons,” while the 768 others are classified as “other wanted persons.”
“This is a reflection of NCRPO’s intensified campaign against serious offenders—murderers, rapists, and other repeat violators—removing them from communities before further harm can occur,” it said.
The NCRPO said 297 of the wanted persons were arrested in the are of the Quezon City Police District, 282 in the Southern Police District, 273 in Manila Police District, 247 in Northern Police District, and 197 in Eastern Police District.
Those arrested included nine of the 10 individuals listed in the Top 10 most wanted persons in the NCRPO for April.
“These suspects — tagged for high-profile and often non-bailable offenses — were cornered through calculated manhunt operations and cohesive inter-unit coordination, leaving only one at large as of this writing,” the NCRPO said.
It also said that eight of the 10 individuals included in the NCRPO’s new list of Top 10 wanted persons for May have already been apprehended.
“The crackdown (against wanted persons) will continue and there is nowhere to hide for these fugitives from the law,” said NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin in a statement.
