After Judge Rosario Ester Orda issued an arrest warrant on illegal drug charges against Johnnie Villarete, a former member of the ‘Aki Cuadra’ robbery group, who went on to form his own criminal organization, members of Police Station 2 (PS2) apprehended the suspect yesterday at Bangga Adam in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City.

According to PS2 commander, Police Chief Inspector Benedicto Villarias, Jr., Villarete, a resident of Purok Riverside in the said barangay, was responsible for a string of robberies and hold-up incidents in Bacolod City and nearby towns and cities.

Villarete is also the prime suspect in a hold-up incident involving a taxi driver in Villamonte earlier this month, along with the robbery and shooting of an Israeli citizen last November.

The suspect denied the allegations, claiming he is “financially stable” and would not commit such crimes.

Villarete is being held on P200,000 bail, while Villarias is calling on those victimized by the suspect to step forward and file charges./DGB, WDJ