Wanted man falls after 10 years

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – He was one of the country’s most wanted persons, and yet he was able to give authorities a runaround for a decade, even managing to slip through immigration and work abroad.

Finally, the long arm of the law had caught up with Roberto Buenaventura, who was arrested on Jan. 29 in Tarlac, shortly after he arrived from almost 10 years as an overseas Filipino worker in the Middle East.

Buenaventura, also known as Jhun, of Aglipay, Quirino, carried a P550,000 bounty on his head. He was listed among the country’s 20 most wanted by the Department of Interior and Local Government at the time of his arrest at his live-in partner’s house in Moncada, Tarlac.

Moreover, Superintendent Danilo Salvador, group director of the 207th mobile group of the Quirino police, which was responsible for Buenaventura’s arrest, said police here could not understand how such a top most wanted fugitive could be able to elude them for so long and even work abroad.

“How was he able to obtain clearances when he has pending cases of rape?” police asked.

Reports indicate that Buenaventura has standing cases for two counts of statutory rape for allegedly abusing minors in 1998.

By the time a warrant of arrest was issued by Judge Moises Pardon of the Cabarroguis Regional Trial Court Branch No. 31, the suspect had already slipped through immigration to work as an OFW in the Middle East.

Last month, after learning of his imminent return, which came about when Saudi Arabian authorities reportedly deported him for alleged misdemeanor, authorities started conducting surveillance for his arrest upon arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

However, Buenaventura was again able to slip through the airport’s security, prompting Quirino police director Senior Superintendent Romualdo Zingapan to order stricter monitoring of the suspect’s contacts, which eventually resulted in his arrest.