A mayor in the Philippines narrowly escaped death after a brazen early-morning ambush in which attackers fired a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and assault rifle at his vehicle, according to local authorities and video footage circulating online, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The attack occurred at around 6 a.m. on January 25 in the municipality of Shariff Aguak, located in Maguindanao del Sur province.
Video footage shows a black Toyota SUV carrying Mayor Akmad Ampatuan pulling into a Caltex petrol station when the ambush unfolded.
This is insane, they tried to assassinate a mayor in the Philippines by firing an RPG at a land cruiser and it survived with fairly minor damage.
A Gently Used Land Cruiser https://t.co/z5uiFv6osO [2] pic.twitter.com/oIzfvGqP4K [3]
โ Shwen (@ShwenSol) January 26, 2026 [4]
Within seconds, a man crouched behind a gray van across the street is seen launching an RPG directly at the SUV. The explosion strikes the rear of the vehicle as it begins to pull away.
Another attacker, wearing a red shirt, is also visible in the footage, holding what appears to be a high-powered assault rifle and firing in the direction of the mayorโs vehicle.
Despite the severity of the attack, the SUV managed to flee the scene as smoke billowed from the rear of the vehicle. Authorities later confirmed that Mayor Ampatuan survived the attack.
Two members of his security detail were injured during the assault.
๐จ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐๐ค๐๐ญ-๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ค
The mayor of a town in the Philippines narrowly escaped death after assailants attacked his armored vehicle with a rocket-propelled grenade andโฆ pic.twitter.com/8Znr2y0U6F [5]
โ The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) January 27, 2026 [6]
According to local media reports, a joint military and police operation responding to the incident resulted in the deaths of three suspects. One suspect, believed to be the driver, remains at large.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Ampatuan called for increased protection following the attack. โThis cannot happen again,โ he said.
โI didnโt think they would use a gun that large. An RPG is not something an ordinary person uses. This was professional.โ
Philippine National Police spokesperson Randulf Tuaรฑo said the January 25 ambush marked the fourth attack against Ampatuan, who has served as mayor since 2022.
Previous attacks include a roadside bombing in 2010, an ambush in 2014, and another attack in 2019. Tuaรฑo also said Ampatuan was subjected to alleged harassment incidents in July and December 2025.
Before becoming mayor, Ampatuan served as vice mayor and was a key witness in the high-profile Maguindanao massacre case, testifying against members of his own extended family.
Tuaรฑo said investigators are pursuing multiple angles. โThe first angle we are looking at is local tension related to local politics, which may have resulted in the hiring of gunmen-for-hire,โ he said.
โA possible retaliation angle also surfaced, in which police are looking into whether the group of suspects share the same surname as victims in a previous killing incident.โ
Police identified the leader of the attack group as a man known as โRaprap.โ His accomplices included his uncle, cousin, and sibling. Authorities said the sibling served as the driver who managed to escape.
Tuaรฑo also confirmed that a special task force has been created to trace the source of the weapons used in the attack, including the RPG.
The Police Regional Office is expected to recommend administrative relief for the local Chief of Police over possible security lapses in Shariff Aguak.
The ambush comes amid heightened political tensions in the Philippines.
Just months earlier, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets nationwide over alleged corruption in government flood control and infrastructure projects, commonly referred to as โghost projects.โ
Some demonstrations escalated into violent clashes with authorities, resulting in hundreds of arrests.