Ambush on politician's convoy leaves three dead, including innocent civilians, in Midsayap, Cotabato

• An ambush targeting a municipal councilor in Midsayap, Cotabato, resulted in three fatalities and two injuries

• Two of the deceased were uninvolved civilians—a tricycle driver and his passenger—hit by stray bullets

• A retired Philippine Army soldier accompanying the councilor was also killed inside the SUV

• The attack was carried out by gunmen aboard a mini-van; police are investigating political motives and personal disputes (rido)

A targeted attack on a municipal councilor's vehicle in Midsayap, Cotabato, resulted in a devastating loss of life, with three people killed and two others wounded, according to police reports.

The ambush, which occurred in Barangay Salunayan on Tuesday morning, October 7, 2025, tragically claimed the lives of a retired military man accompanying the official, and two innocent civilians—a tricycle driver and his passenger—who were simply passing by the scene.

Initial investigation by the Midsayap Municipal Police, under the leadership of Lt. Col. Oliver Pauya, revealed that the councilor was traveling in a black Toyota Fortuner SUV, reportedly on the way to a relative's house, when the assailants struck.

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The attackers, who were reportedly aboard a gray or white mini-van, unleashed a hail of gunfire at the politician's vehicle.

The ferocity of the attack led to multiple casualties. Inside the councilor’s vehicle, a retired member of the Philippine Army was instantly killed.

Shockingly, the relentless barrage of bullets also hit two nearby bystanders. A tricycle driver, identified in one report as Wahab, was fatally struck in the upper torso by a stray bullet and died at the scene.

His passenger was also caught in the crossfire and succumbed to their injuries.

The councilor and the SUV driver were wounded in the attack and were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The councilor is a female municipal official from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the ambush site is located in a community within the Special Geographic Area (SGA) near the regional boundary.

Police are currently pursuing the gunmen, who immediately fled the scene aboard their getaway vehicle toward Barangay Malingao.

Authorities are now meticulously collecting evidence and shell casings, with reports indicating 43 empty shells of an M-16 Armalite rifle were recovered, underscoring the intensity of the violence.

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The motive for the brazen daylight attack remains under investigation. While political conflict is often a suspected factor in attacks against public officials in the area, police are also looking into personal disputes, locally known as rido (family feud), as a possible cause, especially given the presence of the retired soldier in the vehicle, whom one report suggests may have been the primary target due to his intelligence background.

The tragic loss of the two uninvolved civilians has drawn widespread condemnation from the local community, highlighting the escalating risk of violence spilling over and affecting the lives of ordinary citizens in politically charged situations.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable.

In other news, DOTr acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez orders lifetime cancellation of the driver’s license. The driver was caught on video allegedly ramming a student motorist in Teresa, Rizal. Lopez says “no amount of explanation” can justify the driver’s deliberate actions. DOTr to assist the victim’s family and coordinate with police for legal action.

Still in other news, a 20-year-old rider died on the spot after crashing his motorcycle into a turning MPV in Kidapawan City. The incident, caught on CCTV, occurred around 1:00 a.m. Sunday along Sinsuat Street. Police said the victim was involved in an illegal drag race with another motorist. Authorities admitted it’s difficult to catch drag racers as they use “spotters” to evade patrols.

Source: KAMI.com.gh