A former police officer facing homicide and other charges was finally arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) after hiding for 28 years.

In a press briefing, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. said they identified the suspect as former Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Joel Consuelo Villanueva.

“Well, he was really hard to track down. He even attempted to change his identity and in line with that, we had a breakthrough because of a tipster and we were able to confirm his identity with the effort of intelligence operatives of the IG (Intelligence Group),” Acorda told reporters.

Acorda said Villanueva was arrested after years of monitoring his hideout in Cainta, Rizal.

In 1995, Villanueva was relieved from his post after he was found guilty of homicide for killing a soldier in 1991.

He had also been arrested twice in separate incidents, after escaping from the Lucena City Jail and while undergoing a medical examination.

Villanueva is among the top most wanted suspects of the PNP and has a bounty worth over P200,000.

Macapaz said the reward money is a result of a joint memorandum between the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Jaspearl Tan/DMS