MANILA, Philippines — Two soldiers and three civilians were injured after two motorcycle-riding suspects hurled a grenade at a military convoy in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur on Saturday morning, police said.
Police Capt. Giuseppe Tamayo, spokesman of the Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police Office, said the attack occurred at around 6:20 a.m. shortly after a police checkpoint in the area.
Initial investigation showed that two convoys of the Armed Forces of the Philippines were passing through the area aboard KM trucks when the suspects threw what authorities believe was a hand grenade or fragmentation grenade at the convoy before fleeing on a single motorcycle.
Police and military personnel immediately launched a pursuit operation against the suspects, which remained ongoing as of Saturday.
Tamayo said authorities have yet to determine the motive behind the attack.
"We are still waiting for the final report and assessment from our local police in Shariff Aguak. The investigation is ongoing to determine the motive," he said.
The five injured victims sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment. All were reported to be conscious and in stable condition.
Tamayo said it was still too early to determine whether the incident was related to the election period, which began on July 16, or the work of extremist groups.
He noted that security measures in the province had been tightened following the start of the election period, but said Shariff Aguak has several access roads because it borders multiple municipalities, making it difficult to secure every route.
Authorities said they would continue the manhunt and provide updates as the investigation progresses.
