Cops see politics as motive behind killing of Tawi-Tawi vice mayor

Politics may be the reason behind the brutal slay of a vice mayor in Tawi-Tawi province, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde said on Thursday.

Albayalde said Sapa Sapa town Vice Mayor Al-Rashid Mohammad Ali was being groomed by his father, Mayor Alsaggab Lee Mohammad Ali, as his successor.

“Wala pa tayong nakikita rin naman dahil wala namang sinasabing kaaway itong vice mayor at wala silang [pamilya] nakikitang ibang dahilan so far besides dun sa gino-groom siya bilang kapalit na ama na mayor doon sa municipality,” Albayalde said in an ambush interview in Mandaluyong City.

(We have not seen any angles yet because the vice mayor has no known enemies and his family is not aware of any reason aside from the fact that he was being groomed as the successor of his father, who is the mayor of the municipality.)

“Sa ngayon yun ang sinasabi, yun ang nakikitang isang motibo but that’s one indication only. Pero of course we do not want to close in dun lang sa politically motivated na angle,” he added.

(So far that’s one of the motives but that’s one indication only. But of course we do not want to dwell on that one angle that it was politically-motivated.)

Ali, 53, was gunned down by motorcycle-riding suspects on Wednesday afternoon.

He was stuck in traffic onboard a Toyota Innova with his wife when the gunman shot him at the right side of the vehicle.

Ali is the 16th local official killed since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

Tawi-Tawi Rep. Ruby Sahali said Duterte had expressed concern over the vice mayor’s death and ordered Interior Officer-in-charge Sec. Eduardo Año to conduct an investigation into his killing.   /vvp