Authorities have arrested Leonardo Manto Jr., alias Jun, the prime suspect in the recent killing of a Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) official in Cebu.

Central Visayas Police Director Brigadier General Redrico Maranan said Manto fled immediately after the shooting, prompting a regionwide manhunt across Region 7.

“We received information yesterday (29 October) that he was already in Metro Manila,” Maranan said in a phone interview.

“We dispatched a tracker team and confirmed that he was in the eastern part of Metro Manila,” he added.

The suspect reportedly initiated contact through a “surrender feeler” and was brought to the Pasig Police Station by two local councilors.

Maranan confirmed that Manto personally shot the police officers during a surveillance operation.

“Based on his own admission in a radio interview while in hiding, he was the one who fired at our personnel,” he said.

Authorities recovered nearly 50 empty shell casings of various calibers at the crime scene, including .45, 9mm, and 5.56 Armalite rounds.

Out of six suspects linked to the incident, five are now in police custody, with one still at large. Investigators are working to determine who helped Manto evade arrest.

Maranan said the suspect’s group has a history of harassment and illegal firearm possession.

“Intelligence indicates they are involved in various crimes, including illegal discharge of firearms, and they had previously been apprehended for illegal possession of firearms in 2023,” he said.

The group allegedly also targeted a barangay captain last year, he added.

During the attack, some suspects were in a Strada pickup vehicle, while others assisted in the shooting outside the vehicle.

The police officers involved were on motorcycles conducting surveillance near the area, reportedly controlled by Manto’s group.

Investigators are awaiting forensic results, witness statements, and police testimonies to complete the case.