ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Authorities in Western Mindanao on Wednesday declined to immediately categorize as election-related Monday’s killing of Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay Mayor Randy Climaco, and the October 1 blast, which killed four people, outside the houses of Isabela City Mayor Cherrylyn Akbar and her vice mayor, Abdulbaki Adjibon.
Chief Supt. Miguel Antonio, Western Mindanao police director, said police still “have no definite and conclusive findings” on “the motives of the ambush in Zamboanga Sibugay and the explosion in Isabela City.”
Antonio said the police could not automatically say an attack was politically motivated “even if those involved are politicians.”
Climaco had filed his certificate of candidacy as vice mayor and was on his way home when armed men fired on his convoy.
Seven others on his convoy, including Tungawan Vice Mayor Abdurauf Arbison and his nephew and running mate, Carl Climaco, were wounded.
“Our investigation was still ongoing,” Antonio said of the Climaco ambush.
“We cannot say it was politics even if happened after the filing of COC,” he added.
In the Isabela City explosion, which narrowly missed Ajibon, who lives across Akbar’s house in Barangay Sunrise, the police are still investigating and reviewing the CCTV footage, according to Antonio
“We are still reviewing all related materials before we can release conclusive report,” he said. SFM