Ronnie Dayan a former driver and alleged illegal drug money bagman of Bilibid Queen Leila De Lima, was arrested Tuesday in La Union, the Department of Justice said.
"At about 11:30 a.m., November 22, at Sitio Turod, Brgy. San Felipe, San Juan, La Union, joint elements of CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) La Union, PPO (provincial police office) La Union, PPO Pangasinan and Bacnotan PS (police station) arrested Mr. Ronnie Dayan," Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre confirmed to reporters.
"Arrested person was brought to La Union PPO for proper disposition," Aguirre added.
Dayan has been tagged by witnesses in legislative hearings as the one who allegedly collected money from drug lords inside the national penitentiary.
The money was paid to allow convicted drug lords to continue plying their illegal drug trade within the prison, and was used to fund De Lima's 2016 senatorial campaign, witnesses said.
Aguirre said Dayan's capture will allow the DOJ to supply the missing links in its cases.
"It is also a chance for Mr. Dayan to clear his name so we encourage him to tell the whole truth of what he knows," Aguirre said.
An arrest warrant was issued against Dayan by the House of Representatives in October for his failure to appear as at the hearing on the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison.
A P1-million bounty was also issued for his capture.
The NBP Queen De Lima, Dayan and six others face an illegal drugs complaint filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption in October.