An apparent RPG attack on a Filipino mayor’s convoy unfolded in broad daylight Sunday, leaving the mayor unharmed and triggering a deadly manhunt in the southern Philippines. Authorities said the assault targeted Mayor Akmad Ampatuan in Maguindanao del Sur as he traveled in a bulletproof vehicle during early morning hours.
According to the Philippine News Agency, the RPG attack occurred around 6:30 a.m. while Ampatuan was inside his armored SUV. Video footage shows two men stepping out of a white van, with one appearing to carry a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and the other holding a firearm. The man with the launcher aims down the road and fires moments before a black SUV enters the frame and absorbs the blast.
Officials reported that the mayor’s backup pickup truck also came under gunfire during the ambush. Despite the coordinated nature of the assault, Ampatuan escaped without injury. “The mayor is safe,” executive assistant Anwar Kuit Emblawa told the Philippine News Agency.
Two members of the mayor’s security detail suffered injuries during the incident, though authorities said their wounds were not life-threatening. Police and military forces immediately launched a pursuit, later killing three suspected attackers. Officials did not identify the suspects or release further details about their affiliations.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear. The province of Maguindanao del Sur has a long history of political violence, with elected officials frequently targeted amid local power struggles. Authorities continue to investigate whether the RPG attack was politically motivated or tied to broader security threats in the region.
