DATU SAUDI AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR — A teacher escaped unharmed after an explosive was reportedly thrown at his parked vehicle by two unidentified individuals in Sitio Proper, Barangay Kitango, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Friday night, September 18, 2026.
The incident occurred at around 9:40 p.m., according to a preliminary report from the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR).
The victim was identified as Hajim Halil, a teacher and resident of Barangay Kitango. Police said Halil was at the location and was having his white Suzuki Every minivan cleaned when two unidentified individuals arrived aboard another minivan and allegedly threw an explosive ordnance toward his vehicle.
The explosion caused damage to the minivan, although the extent of the damage had yet to be determined as of the initial police report.
Halil was reportedly near the vehicle when the incident occurred but was not injured.
Personnel of the Datu Saudi Ampatuan Municipal Police Station, led by Police Major Amil M. Andungan, immediately responded to the scene following the reported explosion.
Police coordinated with barangay officials in Kitango, neighboring police stations and personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as authorities launched a dragnet operation for the unidentified suspects.
Authorities are also expected to conduct a post-blast examination and process the crime scene to determine the nature of the explosive involved and recover evidence that could help establish what happened.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police working to identify the perpetrators and determine the motive behind the attack.
As of the latest preliminary information, authorities have not established why Halil or his vehicle was targeted.
The incident adds to security concerns in an area that has previously experienced armed confrontations and other security-related incidents. Barangay Kitango has been the site of past armed clashes and security operations, including incidents involving armed groups, underscoring the continuing security challenges faced by communities in parts of Maguindanao del Sur.
For now, authorities are treating the case as an active investigation, and no suspect has been publicly identified or arrested in connection with the incident.
Police are expected to rely on crime-scene findings, witness accounts and other available evidence to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion and determine whether the attack was specifically directed at the teacher.