MANILA – Police were looking into politics as possible motive in the assassination of Vice Mayor Al-Rashid Mohammad Ali of Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi on Wednesday in Zamboanga City.
His relatives claimed Ali was being “groomed” to run for mayor in the 2019 mid-term elections, Director General Oscar Albayalde, Philippine National Police chief, said in a television interview.
“Walang makitang kadahilanan iyong pamilya at kapulisan dito kundi politics,” Albayalde said over GMA-7’s “Unang Balita.”
“Iyong tatay niya (Ali) incumbent mayor, third term na, at mukhang siya ang gino-groom na pumalit.
“Talagang ’pag sasapit ang eleksyon ay talagang may namamatay at hindi natin alam ang kadahilanan kung bakit iyong mga kandidato, iyong mga kumakandidato, iyong natalo at nanalo, during before and after elections dito sa ating bansa, ay meron po talagang nadi-disgrasya.”
Ali was inside a Toyota Innova with several others, including his wife and a policeman, when motorcycle-riding shooters fired at him at a traffic stop in Zamboanga City.
The vice mayor was rushed to the Zamboanga Doctors’ Hospital. He died of two gunshot wounds on the chest.
Ali was the second vice mayor killed in a week. Alex Lubigan of Trece Martires City, Cavite was shot dead last Saturday – a day after announcing his intent to run for mayor next year.
Earlier that week two mayors were killed – Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas on July 2 and Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija on July 3./PN
