LUBUAGAN, Kalinga,Philippines – A high-profile fugitive listed as a national most wanted person was killed in the early hours of January 21 during an armed encounter with law enforcement authorities.
The suspect, identified as 64-year-old Corey Dickpus, was a resident of Barangay Poblacion and the subject of a ₱1-million reward offered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The operation was initiated by police authorities in Sitio Tocpao, Barangay Poblacion, following tactical information provided by members of the local community regarding the suspect’s whereabouts.
As officers moved to serve a warrant of arrest for multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder, an armed confrontation ensued.
During the exchange of gunfire, one police officer sustained injuries and was immediately transported to a medical facility for treatment.
Dickpus also sustained injuries during the encounter and was rushed to the Kalinga provincial Hospital. He was officially declared dead by the attending physician at approximately 2:43 a.m. In addition to the charges listed in the warrant,
Dickpus was allegedly the prime suspect in the killing of a salt dealer from Pangasinan. Authorities have confirmed that a full investigation is currently ongoing to determine the specific circumstances surrounding the incident.
A prominent figure in local history, Dickpus was a former local official who previously served as the Vice Mayor of Lubuagan and the Barangay Captain of Poblacion. He remained active in local politics until recently, having run as an independent candidate for Vice Mayor in the May 2025 elections, where he placed third.
His criminal history dates back to the early 2000s when he was identified as the most wanted individual in the Cordillera region, facing various charges including gunrunning and multiple murder.
Despite his long-standing legal issues, police records indicate he was often viewed as a “Robin Hood” figure by some community members, a perception that allegedly assisted him in evading arrest for several decades.
