Lanao del Sur village chief killed, another hurt in ambush amid election tensions

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The incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in BARMM, where political rivalries and personal vendettas often turn deadly, especially during election periods

COTABATO, Philippines – Still unidentified men killed a village chief and wounded his companion in an ambush in Lanao del Sur, a province in Bangsamoro region, in what authorities said may be linked to political tensions ahead of the upcoming elections.

The victim, identified as 25-year-old barangay chairman Binhar Alon Jawad of Baraas in Picong town, was traveling in a white Toyota Fortuner when gunmen opened fire around 9:50 am on Tuesday, April 9, in Barangay Montay, Malabang town in Lanao del Sur.

Jawad died on the spot, while his 20-year-old companion, Norhan Sarip, sustained wounds, said Lieutenant Colonel Jopy Ventura, police spokesperson in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

AMBUSH. A police line is placed around the vehicle of a barangay chairman killed in an ambush in Lanao del Sur on Tuesday, April 9, 2025. courtesy of PNP-BARMM

Police said the two were en route to a graduation ceremony in Barangay Bacayawan when they came under fire. 

Crime scene investigators found several spent shells of 5.56mm rifle ammunition at the ambush site.

Police launched pursuit operations, but no suspects have been identified or caught as of this posting.

Police said investigators are exploring whether the ambush was politically motivated or tied to a clan feud, Ventura said.

The incident was the latest in a series of violent attacks in BARMM, where political rivalries and personal vendettas often turn deadly, especially during election periods.

Lanao del Sur has been flagged as one of the most volatile provinces in the BARMM. Of the 30 areas across the region placed under the “red category,” or areas of grave concern, 20 are located in the province. Authorities are closely monitoring 109 other areas in the the region due to security threats linked to the May elections.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the police have stepped up efforts to prevent election-related violence in the BARMM, a region long plagued by political warlordism, private armies, and rido, or clan blood feuds that can last for years. – Rappler.com