A prominent Philippine municipal leader narrowly escaped assassination on Sunday morning when armed assailants launched a coordinated attack on his motorcade using military-grade weaponry. Mayor Akmad Ampatuan Sr. of Shariff Aguak municipality emerged unscathed from the ambush, though two of his security detail sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the ferocious assault.
The violent incident unfolded approximately at 6:30 a.m. local time in Barangay Poblacion, where attackers employed a B40 anti-tank rocket alongside high-caliber rifles to target the official’s convoy. According to eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigations, the assailants initiated their offensive from a white minivan before attempting to flee the scene in a separate grey minivan.
A rapid response joint task force comprising police and military personnel immediately pursued the suspects, resulting in a fatal confrontation that left three alleged attackers deceased. Security forces subsequently recovered multiple high-powered firearms from the abandoned assault vehicle.
Executive Assistant Anwar Kuit Emblawa confirmed the mayor’s safety, noting that Ampatuan had been traveling in his armored sports utility vehicle during the attack. The official’s backup pickup truck sustained significant ballistic damage from the sustained weapons fire.
The wounded bodyguards received immediate medical attention at Bangsamoro Regional and Medical Center in Dattu Hoffer, where physicians reported both were in stable condition. This event marks the third known attempt on Mayor Ampatuan’s life within the past five-year period, raising serious concerns about political violence in the restive Maguindanao del Sur region.
Law enforcement authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation to determine the precise motives behind the latest assassination attempt and identify potential masterminds. The incident has heightened security alerts for local government officials throughout the southern Philippine provinces.
