An early morning ambush using an improvised rocket propelled grenade targeted Shariff Aguak Mayor Akmad Ampatuan on January 25 in Barangay Poblacion, Maguindanao del Sur, wounding two of his security escorts but failing to kill the mayor after his armored Toyota Land Cruiser sped through the attack. CCTV footage later showed armed men disembarking from a white van, with one firing an RPG toward the mayor’s convoy before fleeing the scene. A joint police and military hot pursuit operation followed, leading to a shootout hours later in Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, where three suspects were killed. Authorities said the incident marked the third attempt on Ampatuan’s life since 2014.
As videos and photos of the ambush circulated online, speculation quickly shifted to the armored vehicle involved, with social media users debating who built it and crediting its construction for the mayor’s survival. The discussion prompted King Panda to issue a public clarification through a live broadcast, where he addressed claims linking his company to the vehicle and criticized what he described as reckless and misleading commentary.
Panda said he received a flood of messages, calls, and online comments asking whether his company built the vehicle and suggesting the attack was proof of business success. He rejected that framing and said the incident should never be treated as a promotional moment. “An attempt was made on somebody’s life. This is nothing to celebrate,” he said.
He refused to confirm or deny any involvement in the vehicle’s construction and declined to identify any client, stressing that confidentiality is a core rule of his business. “I have never posted anything about a client. I have never bragged or said anything about any politician or any sikat na tao na bumili sa amin,” Panda said, adding that client privacy is essential in an industry where lives are at risk.
Panda also addressed technical claims circulating online that credited the vehicle’s armor for stopping an RPG blast. He said civilian armored vehicles are not designed to withstand direct hits from rocket propelled grenades and warned against spreading inaccurate information. “These cars are not designed for RPG protection,” he said. “A level six vehicle is designed to protect against assault rifles. Not RPGs.”
He said the vehicle involved did not sustain a direct hit, explaining that a direct impact would have resulted in catastrophic damage. “That RPG did not hit the car directly,” Panda said, disputing posts that praised armor design or workmanship for the outcome.
According to Panda, attributing the mayor’s survival to armor performance alone ignores the realities of explosive weapons and misleads the public. He criticized online commentators for presenting speculation as expertise and urged restraint when discussing violent incidents.
Panda said his responsibility as an armor provider is centered on safety and discretion, not exposure. He warned that publicly naming clients or using attacks as marketing material places people in danger and erodes trust within the industry. He also called for respect toward those affected by the ambush, including the injured security escorts.
“All that matters is hopefully a life was saved today,” Panda said, adding that questions about who built the vehicle or who owned it distract from the seriousness of an attempted assassination and the human cost of the attack.
