ORMOC CITY — Police arrested Roel Padua, 25, the No. 3 most wanted person in Biliran province on Sunday morning, November 23, 2025, in Brgy. Smo. Rosario, Naval, Biliran.

Padua, a construction worker and resident of Brgy. Libtong, was taken into custody at around 10:00 a. m. by the operatives.

He was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for rape issued on March 15, 2023, by the Regional Trial Court Branch 16, Naval, with no bail recommended.

The suspect was brought to the Naval MPS for documentation and proper disposition.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

TACLOBAN CITY — A member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed while government troops recovered several high-powered firearms in a follow-up operation in the hinterlands of Gandara and San Jorge, Samar on Sunday, November 23, 2025, the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, said in a report.

Soldiers from the 46th Infantry Battalion, which is based in Calbiga, Samar, engaged remnants of the Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Browser in what the Army described as intensified security operations against insurgents in the area.

The 9:10 a.m. encounter resulted in the death of one communist rebel and the seizure of three high-powered firearms — two M16 rifles and one M14 rifle — along with assorted war materiel left behind as the armed group fled.

The follow-up operation came a day after troops clashed with members of Squad 2, Yakal Platoon of SRC Browser in Barangay Geraganan, Gandara, on November 22, where one M16 rifle, one M4 rifle, and personal belongings of fleeing rebels were recovered after residents reported the presence of armed men allegedly threatening civilians and conducting extortion.

Pursuit operations continue as soldiers discovered bloodstains at the previous encounter site, indicating the possibility of wounded rebels escaping.

Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, credited community cooperation in helping locate armed groups.

“I am grateful and I appreciate all the efforts of our troops on the ground. Let us continue to work hand-in-hand in our pursuit of achieving long and lasting peace. I assure you that your Army in Eastern Visayas will never relent until we neutralize the remaining communist terrorists group,” Orio said.

The Army said operations will persist to secure communities and dismantle remaining insurgent networks in Samar.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY– A habal-habal driver listed on the local drug watchlist was arrested after authorities seized 10 sachets of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Monte Alegre, Isabel, Leyte on November 9.

PLt. Ian Jay Fabrero, officer-in-charge of the Isabel Municipal Police Station, identified the suspect as alias “Wentz,” 36, single, and a resident of the same barangay. He is classified as a street-level individual in the police drug watchlist.

One sachet of suspected shabu amounting to P500 was purchased by an operative during the entrapment. A subsequent body search — conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses — yielded an orange plastic container marked “Tiktak” that contained nine more sachets of suspected shabu.

Police also recovered the P500 marked money (serial number AA7075368) used in the operation and the suspect’s service motorcycle, a black Skygo motorcycle with plate number 695HMQ.

Authorities said the seized illegal drugs weighed approximately 0.67 grams, with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P4,556.

The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and his constitutional rights in a language he understood, police added.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) have been filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Ormoc City, while the suspect remains detained at the Isabel police lock-up cell.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– A woman considered as a high-value-individual drug personality as listed in the Regional Priority Target List of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police(PNP) was apprehended during a buy-bust operation at about 2:30 p. m. on Tuesday, November 18, in Brgy. Poblacion, Kananga, Leyte.

PDEA identified the suspect as alias “Sarah,” 59, married, jobless, a resident of said village.
She was already arrested and imprisoned for the same offense, but was freed after her plea-bargaining agreement was approved by the court.

Recovered from her possession was one sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, procured by an agent in the amount of P500.

During the conduct of a body search done in the presence of insulating witnesses, the searching agent recovered a black coin purse that contained 17 sachets containing white crystalline substances, also suspected to be shabu weighing an estimated 20 grams with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P136,000.

Further search resulted in the recovery of cash amounting to P18,768.

Charges of violation of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were already filed at the Provincial Prosecutors’ Office in Ormoc City, against the suspect, who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Kananga municipal police station.

(ROBERT DEJON)