National most wanted with P1M reward neutralized in Kalinga
The service of an arrest warrant against a 64-year-old male, listed as National Most Wanted Person for Multiple Murder and Multiple Frustrated Murder with no bail and a PhP1,000,000.00 reward from the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) led to an armed encounter in Kalinga on January 21, 2026, resulting in the death of the suspect and critical injury to a police officer.
According to reports from the Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO CAR), the suspect faces a standing warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 25, Tabuk City, Kalinga, with no bail recommended.
The operation was initiated following a tip-off from a concerned citizen. Through persistent monitoring, the suspect’s location was identified at Sitio Tocpao, Barangay Poblacion, Lubuagan.
Upon arriving at the suspect’s residence, operatives were met with gunfire, triggering an exchange that ended with the suspect sustaining fatal gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the Kalinga District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. Meanwhile, one police officer, who sustained a gunshot wound to the upper left portion of his head, is being transferred to the Cagayan Valley Medical Center in Tuguegarao City for specialized treatment.
Operatives recovered a high-powered arsenal: one M16 rifle equipped with an M203 grenade launcher and five magazines; one M14 rifle with five magazines; one .45 caliber pistol with two magazines; nineteen M203 grenades; and one empty M203 grenade shell. The confiscated pieces of evidence are currently in the custody of the Scene of the crime Operatives- Kalinga for proper disposition.
The accused had a long history of violence in Kalinga, including involvement in the 1994 killing of six people, the death of a religious leader in 1998, an assault on a follower of a local government official in 2004, and the staged ambush and harassment of barangay officials in 2013.
This successful implementation of the warrant against a National Top Most Wanted Person demonstrates the effective collaboration between law enforcement and the community. PRO CAR continues to intensify its manhunt operations, ensuring that all individuals facing the law are held accountable while prioritizing the safety and security of the people of Kalinga and the entire Cordillera.
