Initial reports identified the victims as Superintendent Ferdinand Tiqui, the regional director of the Philippine National Police-Traffic Management Group in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and two of his escorts, Senior Police Officer 2 Ruben Malidas and PO1 Cerilo Cariaga.
Police said Tiqui and his men were on their way to Cotabato City when they were waylaid by heavily armed men who opened fire with assault rifles from a secluded portion of the highway in Tugaya town. All three victims died on the spot.
Three other policemen and a civilian identified as Aying Gallego survived the attack and were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Senior Inspector Philip Tumaclas of the TMG-ARMM said Tiqui and the convoy had just come from Marawi City to oversee an anti-carnapping operation.
"It appeared that the ambushers waited for them in a remote section of the highway in Tugaya. There were other vehicles that passed by earlier. It is obvious they were after my superior," Tumaclas said.
Local officials said Tiqui was riding in a white Toyota Revo tailed by a security car when the gunmen opened fire with B-40 anti-tank rockets.
Witnesses said the initial volley forced the vehicle to turn over on its side before being peppered by automatic gunfire.
Tumaclas claimed other policemen in the convoy managed to fight back, engaging the gunmen in a brief firefight.
The gunmen escaped after sensing the responding militiamen at the scene.