A POLICE officer and a civilian were killed in an ambush in Lanao del Sur over the weekend.
In a statement on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. condemned the killing of Police Corporal Walid Buleg Sangcopan, a member of the Bangsamoro police regional office, and a civilian companion on Saturday dawn, March 28, in Barangay Paglamatan, Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur.
The attack comes hours after another deadly ambush in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur perpetrated by alleged members of local terrorist groups, where five police personnel were shot dead and three others were wounded.
The PNP said the incident is linked to a local terror group after local police scored recent victories through the neutralization of its members in previous months.
Nartatez said directives have already been issued to ground commanders, particularly in the Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
“We are also reinforcing coordination with the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to further strengthen the security measures in the entire Barmm to prevent violence from prevailing in the region,” he said.
Nartatez said the incident underscores the continuing threat posed by armed groups operating in parts of Mindanao, stressing that the police force will not allow such violence to persist.
“We strongly condemn this senseless and cowardly ambush. We will not let this pass and the Philippine National Police will respond with full force of the law,” Nartatez added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)