7 years MANHUNT ends as last suspect in the killing of Cagayan Councilor in 2018 falls in Kalinga

Rizal, Kalinga – The last of three suspects wanted in the 2018 shooting death of a councilor from Rizal, Cagayan, was arrested in Rizal, Kalinga, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said earlier this week.

In a press release, the CIDG said the CIDG–Kalinga Provincial Field Unit, in coordination with local police units, arrested the suspect in Barangay San Pedro, Rizal, on Tuesday afternoon.

The suspect, identified as alias “Jose,” 57, a resident of the same village, was arrested by virtue of two warrants of arrest issued by a Tuguegarao City court in 2022 and 2025, both for murder.

According to the CIDG, “Jose” and four other co-accused allegedly shot then Rizal, Cagayan Councilor Alfredo T. Alvarez in San Gabriel, Tuguegarao City, on July 29, 2018, reportedly in exchange for a monetary reward.

The suspect was listed as the No. 4 most wanted person in the Cagayan Valley region and is reportedly a member of the “Labang” criminal group, which is on the watchlist of the Directorate for Intelligence (DI) of the Philippine National Police.

“The DI-listed ‘Labang’ Criminal Group is allegedly involved in gun-for-hire, robbery/hold-up, ‘akyat-bahay,’ extortion, carnapping, and cattle-rustling activities in the Third District of Cagayan Valley and neighboring provinces of Kalinga and Isabela,” the CIDG stated.

Other suspects

One of Jose’s co-accused, identified by the CIDG as alias “Den,” 41, also a member of the same criminal group, was arrested in Barangay Tuga, Tabuk City, Kalinga, on January 5.

Another suspect, alias “Simeon,” was arrested on December 2, 2025, in Barangay Buntun, Tuguegarao City, while two other co-accused, identified as “Jocel” and “Jessie,” had earlier been arrested for another murder case and were served their latest warrants inside the Cagayan Provincial Jail.