A MAN who is facing two separate cases was arrested during a manhunt operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Mandaue City Field Unit at 11:49 a.m. Tuesday, October 1, 2024, in Talisay City, Cebu.
The accused was identified as Reynante Genobiano Vidal, 42, the eighth most wanted person for provincial level.
Police Captain Nigel Sanoy, head of CIDG Mandaue, said that Vidal’s arrest was implemented based on a warrant issued on March 23, 2023 by Judge Pacifico Tan Cimafranca Jr., the presiding judge of Municipal Trial Court In Cities (MTCC) Branch 1 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, for estafa with a bail set at P72,000.
Another warrant of arrest was also issued on October 28, 2023 by Judge Maria Rowena Socrates of Branch 1, MTCC Puerto Princesa, 4th Judicial Region, for violation of Republic Act 10591 or Illegal Possession of Firearms, with a bail of P18,000.
Sanoy said that Vidal’s modus operandi involved offering buyers to assume the vehicles that he did not own, and after the customer made the down payment, he could no longer be contacted.
Because of this, many of his victims reported to the CIDG 7.
Vidal also allegedly sold computer sets online, but once he received the payment, he could no longer be contacted.
His biggest victim was from Masbate, where he took P750,000 in exchange for a barge that was supposed to transport black sand, but never showed up.
As a result, the customer filed a case against him in court.
According to the CIDG 7 records, Vidal had other cases dating back to 2020 and 2021.
“Usually, many of these scams happen online. He presents credentials, including connections to prominent individuals like congressmen and politicians, to build his integrity and character, which gains the trust of his targets until he completes the transaction,” Sanoy said.
Vidal allegedly had an accomplice, who also has an outstanding warrant for estafa, but was not named by the police.
Sanoy said Vidal’s arrest was part of their ongoing implementation of Oplan Pagtugis, the CIDG’s flagship program against most wanted persons in the Philippines.
The accused is currently being held at the temporary custodial facility of CIDG 7 and is scheduled to be turned over to the courts that issued the two warrants of arrest. (AYB)
