DAVAO CITY – Two police officers were killed while two colleagues were injured during a commotion involving members of the indigenous tribe on Wednesday afternoon in Purok 4, Barangay Lacson, Calinan District, this city. The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) identified the slain police officers as Police Chief Master Sgt. Tito Didal Lague and Police Corporal Mark Anthony Elman Corsino. Wounded, on the other hand, were Police Corporal Ken Leo Diango Gumanoy and Donald Ombrete. The confrontation also resulted in the death of the suspect, Benao Maanib Landas, and the arrest of his companion, Rico Masacay. Police Capt. Hazel Tuazon, DCPO spokesperson, said that the incident was not a tribal war or “pangayaw” but a family problem. Tuazon said the Calinan Police Station received a call from a certain Jericha Gubat Isod regarding a commotion at her residence in Purok 4. She that Corsino approached a certain Angelito Maanib Landas, the father of Benao, to pacify his son and convince him to put down his bolo but to no avail. DCPO director Police Col. Albert Lupaz said that the suspects were violent. Lupaz said Corsino fired a warning shot on the ground but Benao hacked the police officer with a bolo on his left wrist. “The suspect who was killed was already told by his father to surrender his bolo,” Lupaz said. He said Corsino shot Benao numerous times but the bullets did not pierce his body and went on hacking the victim until he was fatally wounded on his right cheek and fell on the ground. Benao managed to call for backup, Lupaz said. Lupaz said locals believed that the suspects had amulets and were possessed by “evil spirits.” He said that a video was captured showing policemen shooting the suspect in self-defense but the bullets did not penetrate and smoke came out of the suspect’s body during the initial confrontation. “You can see several empty shells from the firearm in the crime scene…He (Landas) was hit on his stomach but the bullets did not penetrate,” he said. Lupaz said that based on investigation, the Landases belong to a certain group of “mananambal” (healers) in their community. He said the commotion happened as Benao got jealous of his sister and her husband who were recognized as leaders of their group. Lupaz said he could not confirm if the group was a cult but added that authorities recovered human bones, a firearm, and several bolos from their “church” in their community. Tuazon said that the suspect also chased and hacked Ombrete, the mobile patrol vehicle driver, in the head, and Police Auxiliary Richard Mendoza. She said Mendoza, who escaped unscathed, saw another suspect, Masacay, pick up the firearm of Corsino and shot the police officer’s body several times. Tuazon said that when reinforcements arrived, the bolo-wielding Landas and Masacay, who were also equipped with a short firearm and long firearm, respectively, opened fire at the police backup, triggering a gunfight that resulted in the death of Landas and wounding of Lague and Gumanoy, two of the backup police personnel who responded to the incident. She said that Lague was hacked from behind by Masacay. Lague was taken to a hospital in Calinan where he was declared dead on arrival. Gumanoy was taken to Camp Quintin S. Merecido Hospital and Ombrete to Southern Philippines Medical Center here. Masacay fled with the firearms and a bolo but was later arrested during a joint hot pursuit operation. The remains of the slain police officers and Benao’s were brought to Angel Funeral Homes, this city. Tuazon said Masacay is under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Management Unit. Seized from Masacay were a K2CI rifle with one magazine loaded with 13 bullets, a Galil Ace with one magazine with four live ammunitions, and two bolos. Lupaz said Landas was a “bahani” (tribal warrior) while Masacay was a former member of Special Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (SCAA). He said cash assistance was given to the families of the slain police officers. Angelito said he could not believe what he saw and Benao did not seem affected by bullets. Benao was possessed by an evil spirit, according to Angelito. Angelito said that there was no tribal raid involved during the incident. Instead, they gathered in Barangay Lacson to celebrate the birth anniversary of their healer and leader, Bai Tinay. He also revealed that he had sought healing for his son at the Panubaran (healing ritual) in their tribe.