By Jennifer P. Rendon
A fugitive is in deeper legal trouble after police recovered a firearm and suspected illegal drugs from his possession during his arrest.
Authorities apprehended Noriel, 38, of Barangay Batiti, Concepcion, Iloilo, at 7:20 p.m. on February 3 in Barangay Aglusong, Concepcion.
Members of the Sara and Concepcion Municipal Police Stations, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU) Team 3, and the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company (IPMFC) arrested him by virtue of a warrant for frustrated homicide under Criminal Case No. 2023-10897.
Judge Jose Mauricio Gomez of Regional Trial Court Branch 71 in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, issued the arrest warrant.
Bail was set at PHP 72,000 for his provisional release.
Noriel is the ninth most wanted person in Iloilo province.
During the arrest, police seized a caliber .45 pistol (serial number 651457) with a magazine loaded with four bullets, a sachet of suspected shabu, and drug paraphernalia from his possession.
Noriel now faces additional charges for violating Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) in relation to the election gun ban and Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
