NBI captures murder suspect in Bulacan after months-long manhunt
Mike Manalaysay February 18, 2025 at 07:46 PM
MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — After months on the run, a man wanted for murder and attempted murder was arrested by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a coordinated operation in Malolos City, Bulacan.
John Michael Serrano Garcia, the primary suspect in the killing of Luke Maraneg in Baguio City, was apprehended on February 17, 2025, by agents from the NBI-Pampanga District Office (PAMDO) with support from multiple regional offices. Authorities tracked Garcia’s movements across Baguio, Pangasinan, and La Union before locating him at an apartment in Barangay Mambog, where he was taken into custody.
Maraneg, the son of an NBI agent, was shot on November 24, 2024, at Happy Homes, Barangay Ferdinand, Baguio City. Witnesses later revealed that Garcia’s intended target was actually Gino Manolo Castillo Banta, who had a past relationship with Garcia’s girlfriend.
Following the incident, Garcia evaded arrest by frequently relocating. In response, the NBI formed Task Force Garcia, which deployed technical and physical surveillance to track him down. The breakthrough came on February 14, when intelligence operatives pinpointed his whereabouts in Malolos City.
Garcia is now in the custody of NBI-PAMDO, awaiting a commitment order from the court.
📷 NBI