LAMBAYONG, Sultan Kudarat — A 45-year-old man listed as a National Most Wanted Person and allegedly linked to the 2023 bombing of a public transport terminal in Isulan and two separate murder cases involving barangay peace and security officers was arrested in Sultan Kudarat, marking a significant breakthrough in the Philippine National Police’s intensified campaign against fugitives accused of serious and heinous crimes.
The suspect, identified only by the alias “Tarzan” or “Tarsan,” was apprehended on August 21, 2026, in Barangay Udtong, Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, following intelligence developed by personnel of the PNP Intelligence Group in General Santos City and acted upon by the Lambayong Municipal Police Station and the Sultan Kudarat Police Provincial Office.
Police arrested the suspect by virtue of warrants of arrest for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and two counts of murder. The warrants carried no recommended bail.
The arrest is particularly significant because the suspect was listed among the National Most Wanted Persons covered by Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circulars dated July 31, 2026. Authorities had offered a ₱145,000 reward for information that would lead to his apprehension.
Linked to deadly Isulan terminal bombing
The anti-terrorism case against the suspect stemmed from the April 17, 2023 bombing at the Isulan Integrated Public Terminal in Barangay Kalawag 2, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, where passengers were wounded after an improvised explosive device detonated inside a double-decker bus.
The blast occurred around noontime while a unit of the Husky Bus Company was parked at the terminal.
Among those injured were minors John Ruskin Dela Cruz, 15; Jeffrey Dela Cruz Atentar, 14; and Javiren Batican, 13, as well as Ramsiya Ibad Alilayah, 60; Nur Fatima Deocampong Macaantao, 25; and Edgar Cachoco, 56.
The victims suffered shrapnel wounds in various parts of their bodies.
According to police investigators at the time, the improvised explosive device was reportedly placed inside a portion of the bus and detonated remotely using a mobile phone while the vehicle was parked at the terminal.
A second improvised explosive device was also discovered underneath one of the bus seats. Responding police personnel and Army ordnance specialists were able to locate and deactivate the device before it could cause further casualties.
The bombing triggered a major security investigation, with local government officials and military and police intelligence personnel considering the possible involvement of armed groups known to have carried out attacks against public transportation and commercial establishments in parts of Mindanao.
Authorities had previously looked into the possible involvement of Dawlah Islamiya or the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), although responsibility and the precise role of individuals in the attack remain matters for the proper judicial process.
Also wanted in two murder cases
Beyond the bombing case, the arrested suspect was also identified by authorities as being linked to two separate killings of Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) members in Lambayong.
The first involved the killing of a 60-year-old BPAT member on July 17, 2021, while the second involved the death of a 41-year-old BPAT member on April 7, 2021, also in Lambayong.
The cases add to the gravity of the allegations against the suspect, who had remained at large until his arrest this week.
Armed confrontation during arrest
The operation, however, did not end peacefully.
During the implementation of the warrants, police said the suspect resisted arrest and engaged law enforcement personnel in a brief armed confrontation.
He sustained a gunshot wound to his left knee during the encounter and was immediately transported to a medical facility in Lambayong for treatment.
Police recovered from his possession a Norinco 9mm pistol, with its chamber loaded, as well as one magazine containing three live rounds of ammunition.
Authorities also recovered three fired cartridge casings believed to have come from a 9mm firearm.
The recovered firearm and ammunition are expected to form part of the evidence in the investigation and will undergo appropriate examination and documentation.
PNP vows to pursue wanted persons
PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. described the arrest as another indication that individuals wanted for terrorism-related offenses and murder cannot indefinitely evade law enforcement.
“Acts of terrorism and murder strike at the very foundation of public safety and human life. Those who stand accused of such grave offenses cannot expect to remain beyond the reach of the law—the PNP will find them, arrest them, and bring them before the courts,” Nartatez said.
He also issued a warning in Filipino:
“Ang terorismo at pagkitil ng buhay ay kabilang sa pinakamabibigat at pinakamapanganib na krimen. Walang lugar sa lipunan ang mga taong sangkot sa ganitong karumal-dumal na gawain—sisiguraduhin nating haharap sila sa batas at mananagot sa kanilang mga ginawa.”
The PNP said the accomplishment reinforces its Focused Agenda, particularly the priority of Enhanced Managing Police Operations, through intelligence-driven efforts to locate and apprehend wanted individuals.
The arrest also underscores the importance of intelligence gathering and coordination among police units, particularly in tracking suspects who have managed to evade arrest for years.
For the victims of the Isulan bombing and the families of the two slain BPAT members, the arrest represents a major development in cases that have remained unresolved for years.
The suspect is now under police custody and will face the appropriate legal proceedings for the cases filed against him. As with all accused persons, his guilt or innocence will ultimately be determined by the courts.