SULTAN SA BARONGIS, Maguindanao del Sur — Three fishermen were wounded after unidentified armed men opened fire on a group of seven along the boundary of Barangays Kulambog and Gadungan on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Lieutenant Samer Kasan, chief of the Sultan sa Barongis Municipal Police Station, confirmed the incident, which occurred at around 4:50 p.m. while the victims were on their way home from a fishing trip.
The injured were identified as Ramil Abdulah, 35; Kaharudin Mandaliya, 42; and Wilson Laguyo Jr., 44 — all residents of the neighboring municipality of Lambayong in Sultan Kudarat. They were immediately rushed to a hospital and are currently recovering under medical observation.
Four other members of the group — identified as Ali Mandaguia, JV Sangkilamat, Ricky Bilandres, and a certain Noel — escaped unharmed.
Initial police investigation revealed that the victims were traveling on separate motorcycles from Sitio Dundungen in Barangay Gadungan when they were suddenly ambushed near a road section with an ongoing box culvert repair. Two unidentified suspects reportedly opened fire without warning.
Authorities are considering the possibility that the victims were mistakenly targeted, although this has yet to be confirmed. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects and are conducting a deeper investigation to establish the motive behind the shooting.
The incident underscores ongoing security concerns in parts of Maguindanao del Sur, where sporadic armed attacks continue to pose risks to civilians, particularly in remote areas.