Rome: Unidentified gunmen attacked policemen who were serving a warrant of arrest leaving one officer dead and four others wounded in Lanao del Sur on Monday, police said. Capt. Steffi Salanguit, speaking for the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), stated that police from the Buadipuso Buntong municipal police station were serving a warrant of arrest against Sukair Diongcat for charges of murder and attempted murder.

According to Philippines News Agency, as the police approached the village of Lumbak, they were met with sniper fire from multiple directions, which led to a firefight at approximately 11 a.m. The encounter resulted in injuries to five police officers, who were immediately transported to a hospital in Marawi City. Tragically, one of them, Cpl. Kelvin D. Francisco, a member of the PNP Special Action Force, succumbed to his injuries.

The four wounded officers are now reported to be in stable condition. They include Capt. Mark Bryan Tamid-ay, Pat. Presley Baguiwan, and Cpl. Rexil Mejos, all members of the SAF, as well as Cpl. Taha Saripada of the Police Special Operations Group of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office. Efforts to apprehend the perpetrators are underway, with Col. Caezar Cabuhat, the Lanao del Sur provincial police chief, spearheading the reinforcement units in the pursuit of the lawless elements involved in the ambush.