Board member bet in Maguindanao and driver wounded in ambush

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 13 April) — A candidate running for Provincial Board Member in the first district of Maguindanao del Sur and his driver were wounded in an ambush in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang at around 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13. 

Lt. Col. Joppy Ventura, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), identified the victims as candidate Muhammad Uti Omar, 49,  and his driver Abel Buisan, 31. Buisan sustained serious injuries. 

Omar had just left the Proclamation Rally of Team Agila in Datu Piang town aboard a Toyota Innova with plate number NGC 6760 when ambushed.

^{Vehicle of Muhammad Uti Omar, candidate for provincial board member in the 1st district of Maguindanao del Sur after the ambush in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, at around 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025 in. Omar and his driver, Abel Buisan, were wounded. Photo courtesy of PRO-BAR}

The Philippine National Police is currently investigating the incident. 

Omar’s SUV was riddled with bullets. 

Witnesses said the driver was still able to drive the vehicle one kilometer from the scene of the incident towards Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao Del Norte, where there was a police checkpoint at the boundary.

At least 50 fired cartridges from a riffle was used by the assailants who allegedly fled towards Talayan, also in Maguindanao del Sur. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)