DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte — A barangay kagawad was wounded after being shot by an unidentified gunman before noon on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in Barangay Baka, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
The victim was identified as Datu Mistah Pingguiaman, an incumbent barangay kagawad of Barangay Baka.
Based on initial information provided by the victim’s relative, Pingguiaman was reportedly standing in the area at around 11:00 a.m. when an unidentified assailant suddenly approached him and opened fire using a handgun.
Pingguiaman was struck in the lower portion of his chest, causing him to collapse.
The gunman immediately fled toward the northern direction after the shooting. Responders rushed Pingguiaman to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, where he was brought for emergency medical treatment.
As of the latest information available, Pingguiaman was undergoing surgery and remained under close observation by attending physicians.
The shooting comes as authorities are enforcing a strict gun ban in the region, making the use of a firearm in the attack particularly significant. Despite the heightened security and firearms restrictions, the assailant was reportedly able to carry and use a handgun in the shooting.
Authorities have yet to identify the gunman, and the motive behind the attack remains undetermined.
Police investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the possible route taken by the fleeing suspect and any available surveillance footage or eyewitness accounts that could help establish the suspect’s identity.
Pingguiaman was described by relatives and people who know him as a kind, helpful and active barangay official who regularly performed his duties in the community.
The incident has also brought renewed attention to the continuing challenge of preventing armed attacks even during periods of heightened firearms restrictions. Authorities are expected to determine whether the firearm used in the shooting was legally registered, illegally possessed, or otherwise obtained in violation of existing regulations.
Meanwhile, investigators continue to gather information to establish the circumstances of the attack and determine the motive behind the shooting.
Previous Motorcycle Theft
The shooting is not the first reported incident involving Pingguiaman as a victim of crime.
According to information provided, the barangay official was also reportedly victimized by thieves last year after a motorcycle was stolen from their compound.
The stolen motorcycle was identified as a red-and-black Honda XRM Motard 125 bearing plate number 4267-XF.
It remains unclear whether the previous theft has any connection to Tuesday’s shooting. No such link has been established by authorities as of this report.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.