Incident Summary:
05/15/2009: On Friday morning around 0800, in Bagong village in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, Philippines, assailants detonated three improvised explosive devices in 40-second intervals near a vehicle driven by a former Maguindanao governor, Datu Andal Ampatuan, killing one of the former governor's security escorts, wounding three others, and damaging the governor's vehicle as the convoy was on its way to a speaking engagement. The person killed was identified as Mamayo Ganon while those wounded were identified as Renz Amit and Omar Silongan, both Civilian Volunteer Organization members, and farmer Samaon Andatuan. The victims were in a red Nissan pick-up as part of the convoy, which was damaged by shrapnel. The explosives, fashioned from live 81-mm mortar projectiles rigged with remote-controlled blasting mechanisms, were planted along the highway. No group claimed responsibility, although it was widely believed Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members under rogue commanders were responsible. The MILF denied responsibility.
Overview
GTD ID:
200905150015
When:
2009-05-15
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Southeast Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Maguindanao
City:
Bagong
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
Former Maguindanao Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan was the target. |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Target Type: Police |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
The target was the private security. |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Remote Trigger |
Weapon Details |
Three improvised explosive devices were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The most recent available sources listed the injuries for this attack from two to three, so the majority casualty figures have been used in order to preserve statistical accuracy in the database. One of the available sources gave two different scenarios as to the location of the victims of the attack; one location was standing on the roadside, while the second was in a truck that was part of the convoy; and because the other sources did not give a location, the location given by the military was chosen over the location given by the spokesman of the former governor to preserve accuracy in the database. The victim that died was identified as Mamayo Ganon and the wounded victims were identified as Renz Amit, Omar Silongan, and Samaon Andatuan. The available sources stated that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front under rogue commanders was believed to be responsible for the attack, though the MILF denied all responsibility. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
1 Fatalities / 3 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
1 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
3 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
GMA News, "Ex-Governor Ampatuan Unhurt in Roadside Blasts," http://www.gmanews.tv/story/161399/Ex-governor-Ampatuan-unhurt-in-roadside-blasts# (May 19, 2009). |
National Counterterrorism Center, "One Security Guard Killed, Three Others Wounded in Multiple Improvised Explosive Device Attack by Suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, Philippines," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, December 23, 2009. |
Associated Press Worldstream, "Ex-Philippine Governor Survives Bomb Blast, 1 Dead," LexisNexis Academic, Associated Press Worldstream, May 16, 2009. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties