A man was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in a dark portion of a sugarcane field in Barangay Damawato, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur, on Friday night, August 28, 2026, in another fatal shooting that remains under investigation.
The body was discovered at around 9:30 p.m. after a concerned citizen reportedly came across it and immediately alerted barangay authorities.
Datu Paglas Municipal Police Station Chief PCapt. Lucky Siegfried Sibayan identified the victim as Jomer Sapailan Aguil, a resident of Barangay Kayaga in neighboring Pandag, Maguindanao del Sur.
Initial police findings showed that Aguil sustained multiple gunshot wounds to various parts of his body, indicating that he had been shot before his body was discovered in the secluded portion of the sugarcane plantation.
Police have yet to establish where the shooting took place or determine the circumstances that led to Aguil’s death. Authorities have also not identified any suspect in connection with the killing.
The motive remains unclear.
The discovery of the body at night in an isolated agricultural area has prompted police investigators to examine possible leads, including the circumstances surrounding Aguil’s presence in Damawato and how he ended up in the area.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing as they work to identify the person or persons responsible and establish the circumstances behind the killing.
The victim’s body was brought to Buluan District Hospital for appropriate procedures before it was subsequently turned over to his family for an Islamic burial.
As of Saturday, authorities had not publicly identified a suspect or announced any arrests in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, some netizens who posted about the incident on social media identified the victim as Jomar Sapailan Aguil. However, the identification should be treated as information from online users; the police identification provided by the Datu Paglas MPS remains the basis of this report.
The killing adds to continuing concerns over gun-related violence in parts of Maguindanao del Sur, where isolated and armed-related incidents have continued to pose challenges for law enforcement and communities.
Police have yet to say whether the latest killing is connected to any previous shooting, armed group activity, personal dispute or other conflict. No motive should be presumed until investigators establish it through evidence.
Authorities are expected to pursue leads that could shed light on the victim’s movements before his death, the identity of the assailant or assailants, and the circumstances under which the body was left in the sugarcane field.