MANILA: A former United States navy officer wanted for a host of offences has been apprehended in a joint operation in Angeles City.
Xavier Fernando Monroy, 62, was arrested in a sting by the United States Immigration Fugitives Search Unit (FSU) and the local authorities, according to the Inquirer.net portal.
He faces charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, false statements and obstruction of justice.
Monroy was former director of operations of the US Navy's Military Sealift Command Office in Busan, South Korea.
He was arrested at Noveau Residences in Barangay Cacutud, Angeles City, Pampanga province, early on Wednesday.
FSU agents served an arrest warrant issued against him by the US district court of Columbia on May 20.
Monroy was described as an "undocumented alien and risk to public safety and security being a fugitive from justice" in an official communication from the US embassy to local police when it requested for back up.
Major Rix Villareal of the Batangas police said there had been "sightings" of Monroy in the province "over the last month", until authorities tracked him down in Pampanga.
The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and the US Diplomatic Security took part in the arrest, Villareal said.
"We do not know if he owned the house (in Angeles City), but he stayed there (for a time)," he said.
Monroy was detained at the Batangas police headquarters, pending the results of his test for Covid-19, which has become a police protocol for all persons arrested during the pandemic.
Monroy will be turned over to FSU once test results were available, Villareal said.