2 dead in Sumisip, Basilan shooting

 

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Two persons, including a provincial board member died in a shooting incident in front of the district hospital in Sumisip, Basilan on Wednesday afternoon.

Brigadier General Alvin Luzon, commander of the Army’s 101st Infantry Brigade, identified the two fatalities as Basilan board member Nasser Asarul and civilian militia Basid Kari Karim.

Luzon noted that both had “a long standing rido.”

Prior to the shooting incident at around 1:50 p.m., Asarul reportedly had a verbal tussle with Karim in a nearby eatery.

“Asarul was having refreshment in a carenderia when suddenly the suspect, identified as Basid Karim, appeared and had heated argument and (then) shot the group of Asarul,” said Police Staff Master Sergeant Gajhier Baral, investigator of the incident.

One of the companions of Asarul was able to return fire that hit Karim, Baral added.

Asarul’s group was in a convoy with Basilan Governor Jim Hataman-Salliman but the latter chose to stay behind to spend time with his parents.

“We deeply mourn the untimely demise of Board Member Nasser Asarul of the 2nd District, in a shooting incident in Sumisip municipality and we call on the police and military authorities in Basilan to leave no stone unturned in the investigation,” said a statement from Salliman.