MANILA, Philippines – After seven long years, police caught on Sunday in Cainta, Rizal province, the prime suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Mark Harris Bacalla, the son of a Quezon City judge.

The arrest of Onofre Surat Jr. was announced by Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa in a statement Monday.

Surat is reportedly a member of a kidnap-for-ransom group. He is in the list of the country’s most wanted persons with a P500,000 bounty on his head.

Verzosa said Surat’s arrest was the result of intensified manhunt operations after the suspect escaped from their custody on June 3, 2001.

A tipster, who was not identified for security reasons, told police about Surat’s whereabouts, PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Nicanor Bartolome said.

“The civilian informer will be awarded the P500,000 bounty after proper processing and documentation of the release of the money,” he told Inquirer on the phone.

Operatives of the Cainta and Antipolo police and the intelligence branch of the Rizal police provincial office, headed by Senior Supt. Irenio Dordas, arrested Surat at around 1 p.m. Sunday at the Cainta Junction.

The suspect was apprehended on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Vivencio Baclig of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76 for kidnapping for ransom with murder and illegal possession of firearms, Verzosa said.

Records of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response had linked Surat to Bacalla’s abduction on May 2, 2001. The 23-year-old victim was the son of the late Quezon City Judge Marciano Bacalla.

Surat’s group allegedly demanded P4 million for the victim’s freedom. The family initially paid P442,000 on May 8, 2001 in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The group, who had already killed the victim, demanded that the unsuspecting family pay the rest of the ransom just the same.

Bacalla’s body was recovered a few days later in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija province.

One of his alleged captors, Rizaldy Cariño, was arrested while receiving the money.

Cariño, who was handed a 6- 12 year jail term, claimed Surat was the mastermind.