Duterte ‘concerned’ over slay of Tawi-Tawi vice mayor – solon

ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concern over the series of killing in this city where the latest victim was one of the vice mayors in one of the towns of Tawi-Tawi.

In a phone call, Congresswoman Ruby Sahali told the Inquirer that “President Duterte was the one who broke the news to me” during a security meeting where the Chief Executive instructed Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año to conduct a deeper investigation on the killing of Sapa-sapa Vice Mayor Al Rashid Mohammad Ali Lipae on Wednesday afternoon along Governor Alvarez St.in Zamboanga City.

“He told me he was concerned about the killing of one of our vice mayors in Zamboanga City,” Sahali said.

“This killing will not happen in Tawi-Tawi. The vice mayor has some escorts like the Marines and he was a good man, he had no records not even (involved in illegal) drugs. I just feel sad that he was killed in a city like Zamboanga. It’s like we dont feel safe there now,” Sahali also said.

READ: Tawi-Tawi town vice mayor killed in ambush

Lipae’s body would be brought to his hometown for a burial in accordance with Islamic rites.    /kga