Murder charges filed vs Cagayan town vice mayor for councilor’s slay

CAGAYAN, Philippines – Murder charges have been filed against a Cagayan town vice mayor and two others for the killing of Rizal town Councilor Alfredo Alvarez, the Cagayan Valley police said on Tuesday, July 31. 

Superintendent Chevalier Iringan, Philippine National Police (PNP)-Cagayan Valley regional police information officer, said investigators tagged Rizal town Vice Mayor Joel Ruma, Eloy Baloran, and Jessie Labang as the suspects in the death of Alvarez. 

Alvarez, 64, was shot dead by riding-in-tandem gunmen near his home in San Gabriel village in Tuguegarao City on Sunday, July 29.

Initial investigations said the suspects shot Alvarez while the latter was driving his Honda Civic. He was proclaimed dead on the spot.

Iringan said Labang was arrested in Barangay Sampaguita in Solana, Cagayan,  on Monday night, July 30. Labang, who is  under the custody of Tuguegarao police, denied his participation in the killing. 

Police earlier said the killing of Alvarez was politically-motivated since the alleged gunmen reportedly worked for the Vice Mayor.

Alvarez’s son Franklin had identified the gunmen as Labang and Baloran based on video footage from a CCTV near the crime scene.

Rappler reached out to Ruma for comment but the official has yet reply as of posting. – Rappler.com