SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao del Sur — Five people, including two soldiers and three civilians, were injured after suspected attackers hurled an explosive device at a Philippine Army vehicle along the national highway in Barangay Mother Poblacion, Shariff Aguak, on Saturday morning, July 18.
According to the Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), the incident occurred at approximately 6:26 a.m. near the town’s roundabout adjacent to a mosque, sending shockwaves through the municipal center.
Initial police reports said personnel of the 2nd Special Reaction Battalion (SRB), 4th Special Reaction Company (SRC), Force Special Reconnaissance Regiment (FSRR), Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Philippine Army, were aboard a KM military truck and were en route to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, when two unidentified men riding a black motorcycle allegedly approached and threw an object believed to be a hand grenade at the vehicle.
The explosion left two soldiers and three civilians wounded after they were struck by shrapnel. All five victims were immediately rushed to the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center for medical treatment.
Authorities later confirmed that all of the injured are now in stable condition.
Crime scene investigators recovered a safety lever, believed to be part of the explosive device, from the blast site. The evidence has been turned over for forensic examination as investigators work to determine the exact type of grenade used in the attack.
Police said investigators are still verifying the source of the explosive and have yet to establish the motive behind the assault.
In the wake of the explosion, PRO-BAR launched an intensive hot pursuit operation against the fleeing suspects.
Security and dragnet operations were immediately conducted across Shariff Aguak, while investigators reviewed nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and carried out area canvassing in an effort to identify the motorcycle-riding attackers.
The police have also coordinated with the Explosive and Canine Unit and the Forensic Unit to conduct further examination of the recovered evidence and reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the attack.
LGU assures public situation is under control
Following the incident, Shariff Aguak Mayor Akmad Ampatuan and Vice Mayor Hadji Oping Ampatuan issued a joint official statement confirming the explosion and assuring residents that government responders acted swiftly to secure the area.
The local government said personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Rural Health Unit (RHU), and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) were immediately deployed to conduct rescue, medical, and security operations.
“The safety and welfare of our constituents remain our highest priority,” the statement read.
The municipal government urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and rely only on official information released by the LGU and the PNP, warning against the spread of unverified reports.
Officials also assured the public that the situation remains under control and vowed to support law enforcement efforts to identify and bring those responsible to justice.
“The peace of Shariff Aguak will prevail,” the statement added.
Authorities continue to investigate whether the attack was directed specifically at the military convoy or forms part of a broader security threat in the province. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion as of this writing.