DATU PAGLAS, Maguindanao del Sur — Two men were shot dead in a brazen daylight attack carried out by still unidentified gunmen in Barangay Damawato, Datu Paglas on Tuesday morning, April 14, 2026, authorities confirmed.
One of the fatalities was identified as Ibrahim Matukan Pigkaulan, also known by his alias “Weng,” a married resident of Sitio Olongapo in Barangay Poblacion of the same municipality. The identity of the second victim has yet to be established as of this writing.
According to a police report, the shooting incident occurred at around 9:45 a.m. and was reported to authorities approximately five minutes later. Responding personnel arrived at the scene by 9:57 a.m., initiating immediate security and investigative measures.
Initial investigation revealed that the victims were riding tandem on a red-and-black Honda Airblade motorcycle en route to Purok 4 in Barangay Damawato when they were ambushed. The suspects reportedly trailed the victims and opened fire from behind using still undetermined firearms.
Both victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds, resulting in their instantaneous deaths at the scene.
Following the attack, the assailants fled towards the eastern direction, prompting law enforcement units to launch a dragnet and hot pursuit operation.
Authorities immediately coordinated with barangay officials and other law enforcement agencies, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), to track down the perpetrators. The crime scene was cordoned off to allow for thorough forensic processing and evidence collection.
In a statement, Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) spokesperson Capt. Steffi Salanguit confirmed that the victims were shot from behind while riding the motorcycle, reinforcing initial findings of a targeted attack.
Investigators are currently working to determine the motive behind the killings, as well as to identify and apprehend the suspects responsible for the fatal ambush.
The incident adds to ongoing security concerns in parts of Maguindanao del Sur, where authorities continue to intensify operations against criminal elements.