Fugitive US lawyer nabbed in Pangasinan

MANILA, Philippines – Police arrested a fugitive American lawyer, who faces a string of criminal cases, including money laundering, in the United States, after hiding in the country for two years.

Lawyer Joseph Aldan Arriola is facing one count of conspiracy on wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering conspiracy, and several counts of money laundering, aiding and abetting forfeiture in the US. The charges are non-bailable.

Arriola was arrested in the house of his fiancée, Juvie Cerveza, in Barangay Botao, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan.

Cerveza’s house is about five kilometers away from Barangay Cablong, where Arriola had resided.

Senior Superintendent Percival Barba, Pangasinan police director, said he formed tracker teams composed of police personnel under Superintendent Harris Fama and Sta. Barbara police chief Superintendent Eric Noble upon receiving reports on Arriola.

Last June 15, police officials met with Federal Bureau of Investigation operatives from the US Department of Justice and were briefed on Arriola’s cases.

Teams were subsequently organized to scour Sta. Barbara town to locate Arriola. The stakeout paid off when the team led by SPO4 Jaime Jimenez got a tip that Arriola was in his fiancée’s house in Barangay Botao.

Noble and his team went directly to the place and pretended that they were looking for Cerveza to verify information pertinent to her supposed application for a US visa.

Arriola appeared curious about the validation. After more than five minutes of conversation, Noble finally gave the go-signal for Arriola’s arrest. – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Dennis Carcamo and Jun Elias