MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - A policeman allegedly involved in the Maguindanao massacre last year was arrested from his hideout in Kiamba town, Sarangani province on Thursday morning.

Police identified the wanted policeman as Police Officer 1 Arnulfo Soriano, who is facing 56 counts of murder for his supposed involvement in the massacre of more than 50 people in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province last Nov. 23, 2009.

Soriano was arrested from his hideout in Sitio Lama, Barangay Katubao.

The policeman has a P250,000-reward on his head.

Chief Superintendent Florendo Quidilla, acting director of the Sarangani Police Provincial Office, said Soriano was traced through the help of a special police tracker team formed to hunt down policemen and civilian volunteers involved in the massacre.

Soriano was initially brought to Camp Crame, the Philippine National Police's main camp in Manila. He denied that he escaped from the police camp, saying that he sought permission first before leaving.

Soriano has admitted that he was part of a group of policemen ordered to set up a checkpoint in a village in Ampatuan town, where the massacre happened.

He confirmed that former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the prime suspect in the massacre, arrived at the checkpoint area.

Soriano has been brought to the Sarangani police provincial headquarters in Alabel town.

He was scheduled for transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to join the other arrested suspects in the massacre.

Police said a total of 67 suspects in the massacre, including members of the Ampatuan clan and its patriarch, Andal Ampatuan Sr., have been arrested. A total of 128 more suspects remain at large. – report from Jay Dayupay, ABS-CBN Sarangani