A dramatic assassination attempt was carried out in broad daylight against Mayor Akmad Mutra Ampatuan in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao del Sur, authorities said.

According to international news agencies, the attackers arrived in a vehicle, got out near a petrol station, and targeted the mayor’s convoy.

One of the assailants fired a rocket launcher at the mayor’s vehicle, while another opened fire with a gun.

After the rocket was launched, thick smoke spread around the mayor’s vehicle. However, the driver acted swiftly and managed to steer the vehicle out of the danger zone.

Security officials said the mayor remained unharmed due to the vehicle being armored and bulletproof.

It is worth noting that Mayor Ampatuan has previously survived assassination attempts in 2010, 2014, and 2019, during which he was seriously injured twice. Following those incidents, his security was significantly enhanced and his official vehicle was reinforced with armor.

CCTV footage shows the attackers firing a rocket at the mayor’s black armored SUV near a petrol station. The mayor’s executive secretary stated that the armored vehicle absorbed the impact of the explosive attack, which saved the mayor’s life. He added that if the vehicle had not been armored, the mayor would not have survived, noting that he escaped without even a scratch.

During the attack, a backup pickup truck traveling with the mayor’s convoy also came under fire, leaving two security personnel injured. They were shifted to a hospital for medical treatment.

Initial reports said the attackers were traveling in a white minivan and fled the scene after the attack. The incident occurred in a densely populated area, with shopkeepers and pedestrians present along the roadside, causing panic among the public.

Soon after the attack, a joint team of police and military personnel pursued the suspects. During an ensuing encounter, three suspected attackers were killed, and weapons were recovered from their vehicle. Authorities have launched further investigations into the incident.