The most wanted person in Antique’s capital town of San Jose de Buenavista finally fell after eight long years of hiding from the law. 

Police identified the fugitive as Noel E. De la Cruz, alias Joel, 39, of Brgy Funda-Dalipe in San Jose.

The Antique Police Provincial Office (APPO) reported that De la Cruz was collared by the combined operatives of San Jose Police Station led by Chief inspector Norby Escobar and Special Operations Group of the APPO in a police operation last Jan. 28 in Brgy Commonwealth, Quezon City, where the fugitive has been hiding for the past years.

Dela Cruz has been charged of murder for shooting to death former Brgy Funda-Dalipe Chairman Rogelio Moscoso on Aug. 19, 2005. 

He was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Rudy Castrojas of the Regional Trial Court Branch 12, 6th Judicial Region in San Jose. 

Escobar, chief of the San Jose police, said aside from murder, Dela Cruz is also facing a homicide case.

The fugitive was also alleged to be engaged in the gun for hire activities after his name was implicated in several unsolved killings in San Jose de Buenavista.

Escobar said the fugitive is being escorted by the arresting team on the way back to his home town and will be turned over to the court for the proper disposition of his case.*PNA