GENERAL SANTOS CITY – A policeman and a civilian were killed and two members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) were wounded when a group of armed men reportedly led by Daguil Capion mounted an ambush Wednesday in Sitio Maklak, Kimlawis in Kiblawan town of Davao del Sur in the Philippines.

Lt. Col. Alexis Bravo, commanding officer of the 27th Infantry Battalion based in Tupi, South Cotabato said the slain policemen and his companion were fetching water from a nearby well when an undetermined number of gunmen fired on them.

Responding Cafgu elements were also ambushed a couple of hours later which led to the wounding of two members, according Lt. Col. Bravo.

Bravo said Capion has been tagged for four other killings related to the continuing exploration activities of Sagittarius Mines Inc (SMI).

Combined elements of the Philippine military and the police are now in pursuit of Capion and his followers.

In March last year, Capion claimed responsibility in the death of three contractors of SMI whom he blamed for ignoring demands to respect their rights to their ancestral lands.

Bravo however said Capion turned into banditry after he was denied employment in SMI.

Capion, a member of the Blaan tribe that is hosting several mining camps of SMI, claimed to have 20 fully armed followers.

On Sunday, a security guard of SMI was also slain in Sitio Lafla also in Barangay Kimlawis, Kiblawan.

Kimlawis lies near the boundary of Tampakan town in South Cotabato.

SMI’s mineral development site still covers 20,000 hectares of forested and agricultural lands which straddles the quad boundaries of Tampakan, Kiblawan, Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat and Malungon in Sarangani.

Its main mine site however is located in Barangay Tablu in Tampakan.

The June 18 slaying came less than a month after another security guard was wounded in another shooting incident.

Nobody claimed responsibility over the shooting incidents involving the SMI security guards, however.