Mindanao ambushes spark security concerns

Four unidentified gunmen who ambushed the convoy of Shariff Aguak Mayor Datu Akmad “Mitra” Ampatuan early Sunday were killed after authorities pursued the suspects and engaged them in a firefight.

Secretary to the Mayor Anwar Emblawa said Mayor Ampatuan narrowly escaped harm after his convoy was attacked in Barangay Poblacion, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Two of his security escorts were injured in the initial volley of gunfire, while the remaining escorts returned fire, preventing the gunmen from completing their mission. The two wounded escorts were rushed to a medical facility and are now in stable condition.

Despite the blast, the mayor’s driver maneuvered the vehicle to safety, pushing through the kill zone as a chaotic exchange of gunfire erupted.

Police investigators said the assailants had established a “kill zone” and were armed with an RPG-7 (rocket-propelled grenade) intended to pierce the mayor’s armored SUV.

Emblawa said CCTV footage showed the precision of the attack: a gray minivan (plate number KAJ-9462) screeched to a halt before three gunmen emerged and launched a rocket at the passing convoy.

The suspects attempted to flee in the minivan, triggering a hot-pursuit operation that lasted less than 30 minutes, Emblawa said.

Cornered by advancing lawmen, the gunmen reportedly defied orders from the military to surrender. “Our troops were met with heavy fire, leaving them with no choice but to neutralize the threat,” a local military spokesperson said.

Vice President Sara Duterte condemned the ambush by a terrorist group in Munai, Lanao del Norte, which resulted in the deaths of four government troops on Friday, 23 January.

“This type of violence is a clear challenge to the state of peace and security of our country,” Duterte said.

She urged government agencies to ensure justice for the slain soldiers and to safeguard citizens against threats from criminals and terrorists.

“Let us work together and not let criminals rule our communities. Let us remember that our freedom and our nation’s progress lean on peace and order,” she said.

The soldiers were reportedly ambushed by suspected members of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute Group while conducting a community support program.

In response to the recent violence, Philippine National Police acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. ordered strict monitoring and intensified intelligence-gathering to deter terrorism-related recruitment and training in Mindanao.

Nartatez said the PNP continues to coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the intelligence community. While there is no immediate threat of extremist resurgence, strict monitoring is being conducted to preempt any attempt.

“We treat all the information we receive seriously. And while there are already significant gains in improving peace, order and development in areas in Mindanao that used to be the sites of armed conflict, we continue to monitor the situation on the ground with the help of our AFP counterparts,” Nartatez said.