Three suspects killed after RPG attack on Shariff Aguak mayor’s convoy in Maguindanao del Sur

• Armed men launched an RPG attack on Mayor Akmad Ampatuan’s convoy early Sunday morning in Shariff Aguak
• The mayor escaped unharmed, but two of his security personnel were wounded in the firefight
• CCTV footage captured suspects firing the rocket-propelled grenade from a minivan before fleeing
• Authorities later killed three suspects during a joint police-military hot pursuit operation

Three suspects were killed after an early morning ambush targeted the convoy of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur Mayor Akmad Ampatuan on Sunday, January 25, authorities confirmed.

Police said the attack happened at around 6 a.m. as the mayor was heading home when armed men riding a minivan threw a rocket-propelled grenade at his convoy at the corner of Maguindanao Street in Barangay Mother Poblacion.

Despite the explosion damaging the mayor’s sport utility vehicle, it was still able to move away from the immediate danger.

CCTV footage aired on GMA Regional TV’s “24 Oras Weekend” showed two armed suspects stepping out of a small van, with one firing the RPG directly at the mayor’s vehicle.

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Thick smoke was seen billowing after the grenade hit the SUV, which later stopped in the middle of the road as gunfire erupted.

The mayor’s backup vehicle, led by Police First Class Manuel Arcega Dondiego, responded by returning fire, allowing the convoy to escape. The suspects fled the scene following the exchange of gunshots.

Mayor Ampatuan was not injured during the incident, but two members of his security team were wounded.

“There's a follow-up vehicle carrying the mayor's security personnel. His security personnel retaliated against the suspect. But two of his security personnel were wounded, suffering wounds on the left side of their abdomen,” says Police Regional Office BARMM spokesperson P/Capt. Steffi Salanguit.

Authorities said this was the third reported attempt on the mayor’s life. Investigators are still working to determine the motive behind the attack, while GMA Integrated News continues efforts to reach the mayor for comment.

Hours after the ambush, police and military units tracked down a minivan believed to be used by the suspects in Sitio 24, Datu Unsay.

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Three suspects were killed during a hot pursuit operation. Law enforcement agencies remain on high alert, and the PRO-BARMM has condemned the attack.

In other developments, emergency teams in Zamboanga City removed a 10-foot python found curled up inside a parked vehicle, an operation captured in a Bureau of Fire Protection video that quickly spread online. In Aurora, wildlife authorities safely returned a Northern Luzon giant cloud rat to its forest habitat, helping protect the rare and naturally shy species. Meanwhile, residents of Libon, Albay were startled after a five-meter oarfish, often called a “doomsday fish” in local folklore, was discovered dead along the coast of Barangay Pantao. While the sighting fueled fears of possible earthquakes, marine specialists are now studying environmental conditions that may have driven the deep-sea creature toward shallower waters.

In a separate incident, a 46-year-old traffic enforcer died following a motorcycle crash in Barangay Barra, Opol on January 18, 2026. Police said the victim was on his way to Cagayan de Oro and was attempting to overtake another vehicle when he collided head-on with an oncoming sedan driven by a 33-year-old motorist. The impact caused the sedan to veer out of control and crash into a parking area, damaging five parked motorcycles. By Monday, January 19, the car driver was released after police confirmed that an amicable settlement had been reached with the victim’s family and the owners of the damaged motorcycles.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh