COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Still unidentified gunmen shot and killed a former mayor in a brazen daylight attack outside his home in Lanao del Sur on Wednesday, February 26, adding to the nearly 90 gun attacks recorded in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao this year.
Authorities said the victim, former Lumbaca-Unayan town mayor Abdulazis Tadua Aloyodan was attacked outside his home at Oriental Beta village. He left a widow, incumbent Lumbaca-Unayan Mayor Jamalia Aloyodan.
Police said armed men in a pickup truck opened fire at Aloyadan at around 7 am. He was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities said they have started looking into whether the deadly attack was election-related.
In 2020, the wife of then Lumbaca-Unayan mayor Somerado Guro, Rohaifa, was killed in an ambush in Cagayan de Oro. Guro and his driver were hurt in the gun attack carried out by motorcycle-riding gunmen.
Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. condemned the killing, saying violence should have no place in the province, especially ahead of the elections.
Adiong vowed to work with security forces to prevent similar incidents and urged residents to be vigilant and report any threats.
He also said he hoped the upcoming Ramadan would guide and inspire people to “follow Islam’s teachings of peace, unity, and justice.”
The attack came two days after an assassination attempt on Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur Vice Mayor Omar Samama. The vice mayor was wounded and hospitalized.
Mayor Victor Samama described the attack as a calculated strike, saying the gunman was a sniper positioned at a distance to the left, right in the line of sight where his son stood, exposed, while addressing a crowd.
The killing of Aloyadan followed a visit by Philippine National Police chief General Rommel Marbil to the BARMM regional police headquarters in Camp Salipada K. Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, on Monday and Tuesday, February 24 and 25.
Marbil also met with key political figures in the BARMM to discuss security arrangements ahead of the May 12 local elections.
Since January, the predominantly Muslim region has seen around 90 shooting incidents. Lanao del Sur remains one of the areas of grave security concern, according to BARMM police. – Rappler.com