DATU PAGLAS, Maguindanao del Sur — A 29-year-old livestock trader was killed after being shot by unidentified gunmen in Barangay Malala, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur, around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Police identified the victim as Jovanie Sabang Malawan, a resident of Purok 4, Barangay Poblacion, Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur. His companion, Alvin Sabang Guiabel, 41, of Barangay Campo, Paglat, managed to escape unharmed.
According to the initial police investigation, the victims were traveling aboard a white multicab with plate number MAQ 6968, carrying a cow from Barangay Campo, Paglat, and were on their way to Poblacion, Datu Paglas, when they were ambushed by two men riding a black Bajaj motorcycle without a license plate.
Guiabel, the lone survivor, told authorities he heard two gunshots before their vehicle lost control and plunged into a canal. Malawan died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Responding officers from the Datu Paglas Municipal Police Station (MPS) confirmed that the gunmen fled immediately after the attack. The crime scene, located about five kilometers from the local police station, was cordoned off as investigators collected evidence.
Police are now conducting a pursuit operation to track down the suspects and determine the motive behind the attack. Authorities have yet to establish whether the shooting was business-related or driven by personal grudge.
Meanwhile, the remains of Malawan were turned over to his family in Buluan as the investigation continues.