Back to barracks for region’s ‘Most Wanted’ fugitive
It is now back to barracks for one of Iloilo’s better known drug personality, Jonathan “Totot” Nava, following Thursday’s re-arrest made by the region’s top cops.
Listed as one of Western Visayas’ “Most Wanted Persons,” his capture carried a bounty of P250,000 pursuant to last month’s office order of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
With tighter security in place and stringent measures drawn, Nava is now back under the watchful eyes of authorities and will remain so pending the resolution of at least five drug cases of which he stands accused.
Nava’s arrest came Thursday in an operation made by joint elements of the Regional Intelligence Office (RIO) 6, the Presidential Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (PACER) team and the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division (RIID).
P/Chief Inspector Samuel Nacion and his deputy, P/Chief Inspector Ronald Allan Gepana led the government agents in a police operation conducted with the Pasay City Police. The arrest happened at Nava’s rented house in 11-E Lourdes Street, Pasay City.
The arresting team was armed with numerous arrest warrants, all on cases related to alleged violation of RA 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act.
The five known cases are docketed as Criminal Case No. 04-60452 that had corresponding arrest warrant issued January 4, 2005 still. Criminal Case No. 04-60286 to 87 got another order issued the day before in January 3, 2005 by Branch 36 Presiding Judge Victor Gelvezon.
In another Court came the warrant of arrest as issued back in November 16, 2004 by Branch 25 Presiding Judge Evelyn Salao for Criminal Case No. 02-55843 and yet one more issued in June 20, 2005 by Branch 24 Presiding Judge Danilo Galvez.
Nava was brought to said Courts of origin where he was duly escorted. He appeared to be in a jovial mood and granted interviews with reporters present.
Asked on the charges against him, Nava denied the accusations while taking the opportunity to clarify events surrounding his infamous escape from Molo police custody while confined at the hospital.
It was a chance escape, he insists and not one aided by any of the cop who served as his security escort when detained inside the Molo police.
To recall, Nava became subject of the news for making that easy escape. He said now that longtime friends came to his rescue until he finally got out of Iloilo and ultimately, the region.