PNP: 300K wanted persons, including Bato, Zaldy Co, Bantag, Atong Ang, remain at large

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The Philippine National Police (PNP) is pursuing around 300,000 wanted persons nationwide as the organization targets zero backlog.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is pursuing around 300,000 wanted persons nationwide as the organization targets zero backlog.

This figure includes high-profile individuals such as Senator Ronald dela Rosa, former lawmaker Zaldy Co, former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, and businessman Atong Ang.

“We are confident that we can achieve this goal because we have already shown that sustained and determined action can significantly reduce the number of wanted persons,” PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We will not be satisfied with reducing the backlog since our ultimate objective is to bring it down to zero,” he added.

Nartatez stressed that the campaign against fugitives covers all individuals with outstanding arrest warrants, regardless of their status or position.

The PNP is aiming to bring the number of remaining wanted persons down to zero through sustained police operations, intelligence gathering, and closer coordination with other law enforcement agencies.

When Nartatez assumed the PNP leadership on August 26, 2025, the PNP said around 500,000 wanted persons were listed in its database. The figure has since dropped by around 200,000 following the arrest of fugitives over the past 14 months.

Around 300,000 wanted persons are still remaining.

In October, 8,839 wanted persons were arrested nationwide, including 2,353 classified as most wanted persons and 6,486 other wanted individuals.

The National Capital Region Police Office recorded the highest number of arrests with 1,641, followed by Police Regional Office (RPO) 3 with 1,503 and PRO 4A with 1,317. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News