A well-known Tausug vlogger and peace advocate was shot dead by unidentified gunmen Friday night near a beach resort in Patikul, Sulu, sparking public outrage and calls for justice.
The victim, identified as Mohammad Muksan, popularly known on social media as “Doofz,” was gunned down around 8 p.m. in Barangay Umangay shortly after leaving Shara Coffee Shop, according to Major Kier John Leaño, chief of the Patikul Municipal Police Station.
“He had just stepped out of the coffee shop and was heading to his parked motorcycle when armed men approached and shot him multiple times,” Leaño told reporters on Saturday.
Muksan, a resident of Barangay Asturias in nearby Jolo town, died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds. Witnesses said the attackers appeared calm and fled the area swiftly after the shooting.
A strong online presence in Sulu and across the Bangsamoro region, Muksan was known for producing content that promoted unity among Tausug clans, good governance, and cultural and interfaith solidarity. He also worked for an agency under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government.
His killing has sent shockwaves across the region, with netizens mourning the loss of a voice for peace, youth engagement, and Tausug pride.
The Sulu Provincial Peace and Order Council, led by Governor Hadji Abdusakur Tan Sr., has called for a thorough investigation into the murder. Local officials from Jolo and Patikul have been urged to assist police in uncovering the motive behind the attack and identifying the assailants.
Brigadier General Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro region, confirmed that intelligence operatives from the Sulu Provincial Police and the Patikul police have been mobilized.
“We are determined to get to the bottom of this. This was a brazen attack, and we will work closely with local authorities to ensure justice is served,” De Guzman said.
So far, no suspects have been identified, and authorities have not ruled out any angles, including personal or political motives.
