2 of 4 suspects shot dead in Cebu encounter

TWO brothers, believed cult members in Liloan, Cebu, and both wanted for statutory rape with no bail recommended by the court were killed in a gunfight with officers of the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) who tried to arrest them at their hiding place Friday, a report to PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas said yesterday.

PNP-AKG director, Colonel Rudolph B. Dimas said that suspects Arnel and Marlou Capangpangan, both residents of Purok Nangka in Bgy. Lataban, Liloan, aided by their father and another brother, resisted the officers from the AKG Visayas Field Unit (VFU) who tried to arrest them.

The AKG operatives, assisted by members of the Iligan City Police Station, the Liloan Municpal Police Station and the PNP Maritime Group were about to serve a warrant of arrest for statutory rape issued against the suspects by Judge Anisah Amanodin-Umpa of the Lanao del Norte Family Court Branch 2 when they met the officers with violence, said the new PNP-AKG director.

The official said that Arnel, armed with a .45 caliber pistol, fired at the AKG-VFU team leader identified as Lieutenant Zosimo Ravanes, hitting the policeman in the stomach.

Although hit, the officer tried to seek cover while firing shots at the suspect who continued to pursue him until other members of the team neutralized the former.

Ravanes was reported to be in a stable condition at the University of Cebu Medical Center where he was rushed for treatment.

Dimas said a brother of the slain suspect identified as Marlou, 25, shot another AKG-VFU personnel, Corporal Rodessa Medallo, with a Magnum .22 revolver but missed prompting the latter to return fire in self-defense.

The suspect was hit several times in the body and was taken to the Eversley Hospital where he also died.

Two other suspects identified as Arnel and Marlou’s father Ariston Sr. and brother Ariston Jr. managed to escape and are still being hunted.

Dimas said the court ordered the arrest of the four suspects with no bail recommended on September 19, 2019.

The official said the four were accused of sexually abusing a 4-year-old daughter of their neighbor in Iligan City in 2018. The girl was reportedly entrusted to the suspects by her parents while they were away for work.

Dimas said the suspects fled to Liloan, Cebu after learning that they have been charged for rape. “They lived a normal life in Cebu until a concerned citizen informed our office in Central Visayas of the whereabouts of the accused,” said the PNP-AKG director.