The Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office (DNPPO) arrested the alleged mastermind and three accomplices in the fatal shooting of a 53-year-old gold panner in Tagum City, less than a day after the crime, following a series of coordinated hot pursuit operations on June 26, 2026.
Victim and Initial Response
Police identified the victim only by his alias, "Manolo," a resident of Barangay Apokon, Tagum City, who was shot dead on the afternoon of June 25 near a creek in Purok 6A, where he reportedly worked as a small-scale gold miner.
According to the Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao), the operation began at around 10 a.m. on June 26 after authorities received information that the alleged mastermind intended to surrender voluntarily after admitting his alleged participation in the killing.
Arrest of the Mastermind
Acting on the information, operatives from the Davao del Norte Provincial Intelligence Unit and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, together with the Regional Intelligence Unit-Provincial Intelligence Team and the Tagum City Police Station, immediately launched a hot pursuit operation that resulted in the suspect's arrest at his residence in Barangay Apokon.
During the investigation, police said the suspect allegedly disclosed the identities of the individuals he had recruited to carry out the killing, prompting authorities to conduct follow-up operations that led to the arrest of three more suspects.
Apprehension of Accomplices
Operatives later in the same morning arrested one of the alleged gunmen in Barangay Apokon and recovered a caliber .45 pistol loaded with five live rounds of ammunition. Another suspect was arrested in the same barangay at around noon.
Meanwhile, the final suspect was apprehended in the afternoon in Barangay El Alegre, Maco, Davao de Oro, through a joint operation with the Maco Municipal Police Station. Police recovered another Norinco caliber .45 pistol loaded with six live rounds from his possession.
Case Declared Solved
During a press conference, DNPPO Provincial Director Col. Glenn G. Cristines declared the case "crime solved," saying investigators had established the participation of all four suspects through their investigation.
Police said the alleged mastermind admitted to orchestrating the killing, claiming he had harbored a long-standing personal grudge against the victim. Investigators said the suspect alleged that the victim had repeatedly practiced "barang" or sorcery against him and had previously taken over his banana plantation. Authorities emphasized that these claims remain part of the suspect's statements and will be subject to judicial proceedings.
Evidence and Charges
The two recovered .45-caliber pistols are now undergoing forensic examination to determine whether they were used in the fatal shooting. All four suspects are facing complaints for murder and violation of Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. Police said they have been informed of their constitutional rights, undergone medical examinations, and are currently under police custody while inquest proceedings and the filing of formal charges are being completed.
Commendation from Regional Director
PRO-Davao Regional Director Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Z. Rosete commended the operating units for what he described as their swift and intelligence-driven response.
"The immediate arrest of the alleged mastermind and his accomplices demonstrates the relentless commitment of the Philippine National Police to deliver justice swiftly and ensure that criminals have no safe haven," Rosete said.
He also warned individuals involved in violent crimes that the Philippine National Police would continue to pursue offenders through intelligence and coordinated law enforcement operations until they are brought before the courts.
