Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Incredibly, the mayor was unharmed, even though the shot was a direct hit.
Early morning traffic in a provincial town in ther Phillipines was shattered by a sudden act of violence that played out in full view of security cameras.
CCTV video circulating online shows a man in casual clothes stepping out of a van with a rocket launcher over his shoulder. He walks a short distance before aiming at a black SUV further down the road.
A burst of smoke follows as the rocket slams into the rear of the vehicle. The armoured SUV speeds away, leaving smoke drifting across the street.
Mayor survives attack
According to authorities, the target was Akmad Mitra Ampatuan, mayor of Shariff Aguak, who survived the attack on January 25.
He was travelling in a bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser when it was hit.
Speaking at a press conference, Ampatuan highlighted the scale of the weapon used. “I didn’t think they would use a gun that large. A rocket-propelled grenade is not something an ordinary person uses,” he said according to Australian outlet, news.com.au.
Two of his security escorts were injured in the blast, according to local outlet Minda News. Police and army units immediately launched a pursuit of the attackers.
Pursuit and shootout
Several hours later, security forces cornered the suspects, triggering a gun battle. Three suspects were wounded, while a fourth managed to escape, authorities said.
Minda News reported that Ampatuan was returning home from a local market at around 6:30 a.m. when the attack happened near city hall.
His backup vehicle, a pickup truck following the SUV, was also struck by gunfire during the ambush.
Political tensions
National Police spokesperson Randulf Tuano told news.com.au that the group was allegedly led by a man known as “Raprap,” aided by relatives who included the driver.
“The first angle we are looking at is local tension related to local politics, which may have resulted in the hiring of gunmen-for-hire,” Tuano said.
Officials say this was the third attempt on Ampatuan’s life. Previous attacks in 2014 and 2019 included a deadly convoy ambush in which two of his security guards were killed.
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Sources: CCTV footage, News.com.au, Express, USA Today, CNN, BBC
