TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- A Cagayan town vice mayor and two others were charged in the killing of town Councilor Alfredo Alvarez, the Cagayan Valley police said on Tuesday, July 31.
Philippine National Police (PNP)- Cagayan Valley regional police information officer Superintendent Chevalier Iringan said investigators concluded that Rizal town Vice Mayor Joel Ruma, and Eloy Baloran and Jessie Labang were responsible in the death of Alvarez.
Alvarez, 64, was shot dead by riding-in-tandem assailants on Sunday near his home San Gabriel village in Tuguegarao City.
Initial investigations said the assailants, who were aboard a Honda TMX 155, shot Alvarez while the latter was driving his Honda Civic car. He was proclaimed dead on the spot.
Iringan said suspect Labang, has been arrested on Monday night, July 30, in Barangay Sampaguita in Solana, Cagayan. Labang, who is now under the custody of Tuguegarao police, however, denied he had participation in the killing.
Police earlier said the killing of Alvarez has to be politically-motivated since the identified gunmen are allegedly working for Ruma.
It was Alvarez’s son, Franklin, who identified the gunmen as Labang and Baloran based on video tape caught by a CCTV near the crime scene.
The Northern Forum reached out Vice Mayor Ruma for comments but has yet to receive response as of posting.
