Mother, two teenagers killed in battle between AFP, NPA-linked bandits

From GMANews (Oct 18): Mother, two teenagers killed in battle between AFP, NPA-linked bandits

Two teenagers and their mother were killed Thursday morning when a firefight between government soldiers and a bandit group associated with the communist New People’s Army broke out in Kiblawan town in Davao del Sur. Lt. Col. Noel Alexis Bravo, commander of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, said the fatalities were the wife of the leader of the armed group, Daquil Capeon, and their two children. Killed were Jovy Capeon and her offspring John and Pop. The siblings were described by other family members as between the ages of 13 and 19. Also, a daughter, Vicky - aged 7, was wounded in her left ear. She has received medical treatment and is now under the custody of her relatives.  “We are saddened with the incident but we are now extending the necessary assistance needed by the family of Capeon in coordination with the Bongmal Tribal Council,” Bravo said. Capeon is also the tribal leader of the B’laan tribe inhabiting the area. He escaped the encounter but was said to be wounded. Bravo said his men were deployed to Sitio Aliong in Kimlawis village after they received information about the presence of armed men in the area. “As a routine procedure, the troops went to the area to check. But while approaching a hut, they were fired upon so they returned fire,” said Bravo. Pressed if the fatalities are members of the armed group, Bravo said: “They are in one group…They are wife and children of the leader.”  “These are ordinary people before. When they killed three civilians, they became wanted persons. They went into hiding and became bandits. While in hiding, they reached an alliance (with the NPA) of course for their survival,” added Bravo.

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