By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
A Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) has been formed to fast-track the investigation into the ambush of a provincial election supervisor in Sulu that killed his elder brother, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday.
The shooting, which occurred around 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Sitio Villa Sta. Maria, Barangay Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, killed Naser Amil Asiri, 57, the elder brother of Sulu provincial election supervisor Vidzfar Amil Julie.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson PBGEN. Jean Fajardo said investigators are looking into the possibility that the attack may be related to Julie’s job in the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“Nag-create na tayo ng SITG na tututok sa kaso na ito bagamat as of now ay wala pa tayong POIs (person of interest) pero nag-start na tayo mag-backtrack ng mga CCTV (closed-circuit television) footages. Tinitingnan ’yong possibility na maaaring itong mga suspects ay alam ’yong movement nitong si provincial Comelec [officer] at we are not discounting the possibility na ito ay may kinalaman sa kanyang trabaho bilang election officer,” Fajardo said.
Julie, who had just arrived from Jolo, was driving his sports utility vehicle with Asiri in the passenger seat.
They were traveling home from Zamboanga International Airport when the two suspects on a motorcycle pulled alongside their vehicle and opened fire.
Fajardo said that during the initial interview with investigators, Julie mentioned that he is hearing cases involving a candidate and an incumbent elected official.
She, however, said one of the challenges facing investigators is the lack of witnesses who may have seen the actual shooting, as well as the need for investigators to ask permission from the private owners of the CCTV near the crime scene.
Fajardo said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is also on board, and investigators are looking at CCTV footage from the time Julie arrived at the airport up to the ambush site.
Earlier, Comelec chairperson George Garcia condemned the shooting incident.
“No words are enough to condemn this treacherous act of violence against our people. What is more gruesome and unforgivable is when a loved one is caught in the crossfire, so to speak,” Garcia said.