AMPATUAN, Maguindanao del Sur — Two duck farm workers from Sultan Kudarat were found dead with gunshot wounds to the head in a remote area of Ampatuan on Wednesday, with investigators looking into the possibility that they were mistakenly identified as government informants.

The victims were identified as Jeroy Porras Dabid and Noel Porras Deala, both 31 years old and residents of Barangay Paitan.

According to a report from the Philippine National Police, authorities received information at around 7:55 a.m. on Wednesday regarding the discovery of two bodies in Sitio Bakoko, approximately six kilometers from the national highway.

Police officers, together with soldiers from the 90th Infantry Battalion, immediately launched a joint response after learning that the area is considered a security concern due to reports of the presence of the Dawlah Islamiyah.

Family members told investigators that the two men left for the area at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday to tend ducks at a local farm but never returned home.

Crime scene investigators recovered a spent shell believed to have been fired from a 5.56-caliber firearm. The evidence has been submitted for ballistic examination as part of the ongoing investigation.

One of the primary angles being pursued by authorities is mistaken identity.

Investigators are examining whether the victims, who were reportedly not from the area and belonged to the Ilonggo community, may have been mistakenly perceived as confidential informants. Authorities noted that the killings occurred in a remote location near an area believed to have been used as a hideout by suspected Dawlah Islamiyah members.

At this stage, police emphasized that the mistaken identity theory remains one of several investigative angles and has not been conclusively established. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no group has claimed responsibility for the killings.

Police and military units have launched dragnet operations and are continuing their investigation to identify those responsible and determine the motive behind the attack.

Authorities have appealed to anyone with information that could aid the investigation to coordinate with law enforcement as efforts continue to bring those responsible to justice.