PIKIT, Cotabato — Former Datu Montawal mayoral candidate Bapa Samer Beda reportedly survived a shooting incident in Pikit, Cotabato, after unidentified assailants allegedly opened fire on his Toyota Hilux, leaving seven bullet holes in the vehicle, according to reports circulating on October 19, 2026.
Beda, who previously sought the mayoralty of Datu Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur, escaped the reported attack without being hit by the gunfire. Photographs shared on social media showed multiple bullet marks on his vehicle, underscoring the seriousness of the incident.
In an interview with Brigada News FM Cotabato City, Beda said he could not recall any personal conflict or dispute that might have prompted the attack. He expressed uncertainty over who could have wanted to harm him and what might have motivated the alleged ambush.
Beda also reportedly said he had called on the people he believed were planning to kill him, urging them to change their ways. His remarks came amid reports that the shooting may have been another attempt on his life.
However, the claim that this was the second assassination attempt against Beda has yet to be independently verified.
The incident was reportedly recorded along the national highway in Barangay Batulawan, within the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM), near Pikit, Cotabato. Available reports, however, do not consistently establish the precise location and circumstances of the shooting.
As of the latest available information, the identities of the suspected gunmen, their whereabouts, and the possible motive behind the attack remain unclear. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement confirming the details of the incident.
The reported shooting adds to concerns over the safety of local political figures in parts of Mindanao, where the circumstances surrounding attacks on public officials and political personalities can be difficult to establish immediately.
The incident remains subject to official verification. Further information from law enforcement authorities is needed to establish the sequence of events, determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and identify those responsible.
Beda’s reported survival has been confirmed only through the accounts currently circulating and the interview cited in local reports; the full details of the incident and the claim of a previous attack remain unverified.