A 39-year-old man accused of abusing his two stepdaughters sexually was arrested in Quezon, Bukidnon.

Police identified the suspect as alias “Reyel.” He was arrested by virtue of a warrant for qualified rape and violation of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act (RA 7610).

The court did not allow the suspect to post bail for the rape charges, while the bail for the child abuse case was set at P80,000.

According to the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), the suspect was tagged as number one most wanted person in the region.

Based on records, authorities said the suspect subjected his 18-and 16-year-old stepdaughters to sexual and other forms of abuse inside their house in January 2024.

The suspect is now detained.

“The arrest of the region’s most wanted person sends a strong message that justice will always prevail. No criminal can evade the law forever. I commend our operatives for their outstanding work and reaffirm PRO10’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding our communities, especially our children, from sexual predators and abusers,” PRO-10 Director, Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman, said.