Leyte’s most wanted nabbed in Taguig

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Northern Field Office (CIDG-NFO), working with the Samar police, arrested yesterday Leyte’s most wanted criminal in an operation in Bicutan, Taguig.

Mario Acibar Jr., 50, wanted for murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder in Catarman, Northern Samar since 1998, was arrested at the residence of a relative at 81 Sampaloc Street, Mangahan, Bicutan, Taguig at about 1:30 p.m.

CIDG operatives led by Chief Inspector Efren Dalumpines and Inspector Ranulfo Casio apprehended Acibar by virtue of a warrant of arrest by Judge Cesar Cinco of Catarman, Northern Samar Regional Trial Court Branch 19.

Dalumpines said Acibar is the prime suspect in the murder of the wife of one Sgt. De Guia in Samar as well as the policeman’s near fatal shooting and the wounding of other members of the cop’s family in 1998.

Samar authorities have been searching for the suspect since then but failed to arrest Acibar, who is included in the 10 most wanted criminals of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Dalumpines said.

The DILG, Dalumpines added, offered a P75,000 bounty for Acibar’s arrest. Last month, CIDG-NFO agents under Chief Inspector Simon Fernan, spotted the suspect along 7th Avenue in Caloocan City dealing in scrap metal.

After almost two weeks of surveillance operations, the CIDG agents traced the suspect’s whereabouts to Taguig through a telephone number he provided to one of his clients.

The suspect, detained at the CIDG-NFO detention cell, would be turned over to the Samar, Leyte authorities. – Pete Laude