A Chinese national identified as CALABARZON's regional top most wanted person was arrested Friday night in Dumaguete City in a joint intelligence-driven operation, the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) announced on July 18, 2026.
The suspect, known only by the alias "Xi," 34, female, was apprehended at approximately 7:25 p.m. on July 17, 2026, in Barangay Looc, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. She was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for robbery under Article 294, Paragraph 5 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.
Former POGO Worker Listed as CALABARZON's Most Wanted
The suspect is a former employee of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), according to PRO-NIR. She had been listed as the top most wanted person of Police Regional Office 4A, which covers the CALABARZON region — Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
Her arrest in Dumaguete City, located in the Visayas, underscores the reach of coordinated national manhunt operations, with authorities tracking her movements across regional boundaries before closing in on her location in Negros Oriental.
Multi-Agency Units Converge on Barangay Looc
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Dumaguete City Police Station under the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, working in close coordination with several partner agencies, according to PRO-NIR.
Units involved included the Anti-Carnapping Section of the Regional Intelligence Division of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the Bacoor City Police Station, the Regional Intelligence Division–Regional Special Operations Unit 4A, and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Task Force.
The breadth of the inter-agency team — spanning units from Metro Manila, Cavite, and the Negros Island Region — reflects the intelligence-sharing framework that PRO-NIR said was central to the operation's success.
Suspect Informed of Rights, Held at Dumaguete Station
Following her arrest, the accused was informed of the nature of the charges against her and apprised of her constitutional rights in a language she understood, PRO-NIR said in a statement. She was properly documented and remains under the custody of the Dumaguete City Police Station.
She is being held pending her turnover to the issuing court and the completion of all required legal procedures, the regional office said.
PRO-NIR Chief Credits Seamless Inter-Agency Coordination
Police Brigadier General Romano V. Cardiño, PRO-NIR regional director, credited the coordination among participating units for the successful arrest.
"This successful operation highlights the strength of intelligence sharing and seamless coordination among law enforcement agencies. No wanted person can escape the long arm of the law when police units work together with determination and precision. PRO NIR remains steadfast in supporting all efforts to locate and arrest fugitives, ensuring that they answer for their offenses before the courts," Cardiño said.
Cardiño assumed command of PRO-NIR on May 8, 2026, succeeding Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay.
Manhunt Operations to Continue Under SAFE NIR Program
PRO-NIR said it will sustain aggressive and intelligence-driven manhunt operations while strengthening partnerships with other police units and law enforcement agencies nationwide.
The regional office said its SAFE NIR Program — an acronym standing for Seen, Appreciated, Felt, and Extraordinary policing — continues to anchor its commitment to swift justice, public safety, and peace and order across its area of responsibility, which covers Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
PRO-NIR was activated in 2025 as the PNP's 18th police regional office, following the creation of the Negros Island Region as a distinct administrative and police jurisdiction.
By the Numbers
- 7:25 p.m. — Time of arrest on July 17, 2026
- 34 — Age of the suspect
- 5 — Partner agencies involved in the joint operation
- May 8, 2026 — Date PBGen Cardiño assumed command of PRO-NIR
- 18th — PRO-NIR's designation as a PNP regional office, activated in 2025
- 3 provinces — PRO-NIR's area of responsibility: Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor
Why This Matters
The arrest of CALABARZON's top most wanted person in Dumaguete City demonstrates the operational reach of coordinated national law enforcement, with units from Metro Manila, Cavite, and the Negros Island Region converging to apprehend a fugitive who had crossed regional lines. The case also spotlights the continued law enforcement implications of the former POGO industry, with a former offshore gaming worker now facing robbery charges before the courts. For PRO-NIR, the operation marks an early high-profile result under the command of PBGen Cardiño and reinforces the regional office's stated mandate to pursue wanted persons regardless of where they attempt to evade capture.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of PRO-NIR/PNP