BULUAN, Maguindanao del Sur — In what many now view as a bold and defiant attack, unidentified assailants hurled three grenades in front of the Municipal Hall of Buluan around 8:20 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2025. The attack, which occurred despite the town being placed under Commission on Elections (COMELEC) control, left one resident injured and sparked outrage and concern over the security situation in the area.
The lone injured victim was identified by Maguindanao del Sur Police Provincial Office Director Colonel Ryan Bobby Paloma as 31-year-old Jimmy Mamasalanang Mibpande, a resident of Barangay Tumbao in the neighboring municipality of Mangudadatu. Mibpande was rushed for medical treatment following the blast.
Aside from the injury, a black Toyota Avanza (plate number NBY 2009) parked near the blast site also sustained damage from the explosion. Authorities said pursuit operations are already underway to track down the perpetrators, described as riding tandem suspects, but no arrests have been made as of this writing.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to determine the motive behind the attack, which has left both residents and local officials shaken, especially given the municipality’s heightened security status under COMELEC control — a designation meant to ensure order amid election-related tensions.
The Buluan Municipal Police is working in close coordination with the 43rd Company of the Special Action Force (SAF) and the 21st Mechanized Company of the Philippine Army in tracking down those responsible. The attack has raised difficult questions on the effectiveness of the security measures in place and whether this incident is a direct affront to government authority.
In an official statement, Major General Donald Gumiran, Commander of the Joint Task Force Central (JTFC) and the 6th Infantry Division, strongly condemned the grenade attack.
“The Joint Task Force Central condemns in the strongest terms this act of violence that threatens citizens and undermines the community’s peace and security,” Gumiran said. He assured residents that a Quick Reaction Team from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion was immediately dispatched to secure the area and assist in the investigation.
The timing and location of the attack — right in front of the municipal hall — could not be more symbolic, prompting many to ask: Was this an open challenge, or worse, an insult to the authorities tasked with maintaining peace under the COMELEC’s watch?
With the elections drawing near and Buluan already flagged as a hotspot, the attack raises the stakes not only for local security forces but for national agencies as well. The audacity of the attack suggests that armed groups or political saboteurs are undeterred by the COMELEC control status, and may even be testing the limits of state response.
The question now is: What decisive actions will follow? The public awaits more than just condemnation — they are calling for concrete steps that will ensure such brazen violence is met with accountability and swift justice.
As investigations continue, authorities are urging the public to remain calm but vigilant, and to cooperate in reporting any suspicious activity.
This attack serves as a grim reminder that even under supposed “controlled” environments, security challenges remain ever-present — and so does the need for determined and effective action.