The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expresses deep concern over the attempted ambush of another local official in Maguindanao del Sur. In line with its mandate, the Commission has deployed a Quick Response Operation (QRO) team to conduct a motu proprio investigation into this brazen attack.

According to the statement released by the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the vice mayor of Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, sustained injuries in a shooting incident on 24 February 2025 while delivering a speech in broad daylight.

CHR strongly condemns any form of arbitrary attack against individuals. In the BARMM region, where peace and stability are paramount, such acts of violence endanger not only lives and safety but also the collective vision of sustainable security that has long been pursued.

To recall, CHR previously denounced a similar incident last year against another vice mayor in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur.[1] The recurrence of such attacks underscores the pressing need for heightened measures to ensure the safety of communities and local officials in the area.

The Commission acknowledges the efforts of local law enforcement agencies to resolve this matter. As the country’s national human rights institution, the CHR stands fully prepared to aid in uncovering the truth behind this attack, to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable under the law, and to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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[1] Statement of the Commission on Human Rights denouncing the ambush committed against a vice mayor and bodyguard in Maguindanao del Sur | 14 August 2024, https://chr.gov.ph/statement-of-the-commission-on-human-rights-denouncing-the-ambush-committed-against-a-vice-mayor-and-bodyguard-in-maguindanao-del-sur/