2 killed as armed men attack B’laan community in Davao del Sur

DIGOS CITY, Philippines—Unidentified armed men swooped down on a B’laan tribal neighborhood in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, early Saturday morning and shot dead two persons without any provocation, the police said.

Senior Superintendent Ronaldo Llanera, Davao del Sur police director, said Santigao Marikit, 19, and Usman Labires were outside their homes in Sitio Banog in Barangay Kimlawis preparing for the day’s work when an undetermined number of armed men arrived around 6 a.m. Without any word, the gunmen fired on the victims, who died instantly.

“One of the perpetrators even cut off Marikit’s left hand and brought it with him as he and his group fled,” Llanera said.

Llanera said the police were in a quandary as to the reason for the attack and the dismemberment of Marikit as none of their relatives or  neighbors could provide any information.

He said that as of Saturday afternoon, the police and the military were still pursuing the suspects, who fled to the hinterlands of Kiblawan.

Kiblawan lies on Davao del Sur’s border with North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani.