BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The country’s No. 8 national most wanted person, accused of raping his minor niece in Mountain Province, was arrested on June 8 at his hideout in the Sierra Madre mountains in General Nakar, Quezon.

According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the suspect, identified only as “Alias Leo,” is a native of Mountain Province. His arrest carries a ₱150,000 bounty under the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) reward program for fugitives.

The operation was jointly conducted by the CIDG and the General Nakar Municipal Police Station, executing warrants issued on September 8, 2022, by the Regional Trial Court in Bontoc, Mountain Province.

The suspect faces three counts of qualified statutory rape with no bail recommended, and two counts of acts of lasciviousness under Republic Act No. 7610 (the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act), which carries a recommended bail of ₱200,000.

Investigations revealed that the abuse began in 2015 in Sitio Lumyeng, Lacmaan, Besao, Mountain Province, when the victim was a Grade 6 student.

Silenced by the suspect’s threats, the victim hid the abuse for seven years. She finally disclosed the ordeal to her father in 2022, leading to an immediate police complaint.

To evade law enforcement, the suspect fled Mountain Province and constantly relocated, moving from Tanay, Rizal, deep into the Sierra Madre mountains before CIDG operatives tracked him down.

CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert A.A. Morico II commended the operating units, stating that the arrest reflects the agency’s unwavering commitment to pursuing fugitives and protecting women and children from abuse.