Iloilo's most wanted person falls
Leogen Prion
Iloilo -- Police authorities have finally captured Iloilo's number one on the most wanted persons list.
Police personnel from the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Group and Task Force Jelicuon arrested Saturday morning Leogen Prion right in his own turf-Barangay Jelicuon Montinola in Cabatuan town. Prion was arrested alongside Rommel Robles, whom police allege is also an accomplice.
Governor Niel Tupas and provincial police director, Senior Superintendent Jose Napoleon Coronel presented the 30-year-old Prion to members of the media during a press conference yesterday morning. The arrest is, by far, the biggest accomplishment of Coronel, who has been director for only 17 days.
"This is a manifestation of the renewed dedication and commitment of the Iloilo police forces to sustain our anti-criminality campaign in compliance with the directive of the Governor in his state of the province address," Coronel said.
Prion has 14 outstanding warrants of arrest in his name for highway robbery, robbery in band, cattle rustling, theft, child harassment and multiple attempted homicide, Coronel said. Two of the 14 warrants are non-bailable.
The Governor has put up a P30,000 price reward for Prion's capture. The reward, according to Coronel, will be given to the police's informant.
Tupas explained that it took time before police were able to arrest Prion.
"He's very slippery," the governor remarked.
Coronel revealed that they have received information that Prion has been sighted in the area a week before the arrest.
"Maybe he thought that the police were too busy with the Dinagyang festivities to arrest him," Coronel said.
Prion and Robles will be detained at the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center pending trial of their cases.
Prion's brother, Joel, died about two years ago after a gun fight with police who have come to arrest him. His other brother, Ben, is in detention facing similar cases.
The Prion brothers have gained notoriety after having been named suspects in a series of robbery and cattle rustling incidents in Central Iloilo in the past years.