Filipino mayor survives RPG attack in broad daylight on his armoured SUV, video goes viral — ‘Like GTA’, say netizens

A mayor in the Philippines escaped a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on his convoy in broad daylight. The attack took place in the southern province of Maguindanao del Sur on Sunday, authorities told local media.

The Philippine News Agency (PNA), the country’s state-run news outlet, reported that Mayor Akmad Ampatuan was inside a bulletproof vehicle when the attack occurred at around 6:30 am.

It showed two men stepping out of a white van, one holding what appears to be an RPG and another carrying a gun.

One of the men then lowered the launcher and aims it down the street.

He fired the weapon before jumping back into the vehicle, moments before a black SUV turned onto the road and was struck by the blast.

The SUV was filmed quickly driving away, as smoke lingers on the rear of the vehicle.

PNA reported that the mayor’s backup vehicle, a pickup, was also hit by gunfire during the attack.

Many on social media reacted to the video, calling it “crazy”. A person also called it a “GTA-like” incident. “GTA in real life,” one commented.

"The mayor is safe," Anwar Kuit Emblawa, the mayor’s executive assistant, told the PNA. The outlet claimed that the mayor has survived two previous assassination attempts in the past five years.

Meanwhile, two members of Ampatuan’s security detail were injured, though their wounds were not life-threatening.

According to the reports, police and military forces later killed three suspected attackers in a pursuit.