ZAMBOANGA CITY–The local police on Thursday said it has formed a task group to investigate the killing of a Tawi-Tawi vice mayor in this city.
Senior Supt. Alan Nazarro, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said the task group will focus on the case of Vice Mayor Al-Rasid Mohammad Ali of Sapa-Sapa, Tawi-Tawi province, who was shot dead at around 5:07 p.m. Wednesday along the busy street of Gov. Alvarez Avenue, Barangay Camino Nuevo.
Nazarro said the task group will comprise of officers and personnel of the ZCPO and Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9), who will closely work with the police of Tawi-Tawi, especially with that of Sapa-Sapa town, in the conduct of investigation of the incident.
Ali succumbed to two gunshot wounds several minutes later while being treated at a hospital. He was aboard a Sports Utility Vehicle driven by his daughter at the time of the incident. Together with them was his wife, and a security escort.
Police said the family was on their way home to Barangay Tetuan from a shopping mall, where the slain official met with friends.
Nazarro said they are looking into all possible motives in Ali’s killing. He said the vice mayor’s daughter has initially told investigators that the slain official received threats days before the incident.
He said the victim is being groomed to seek for the mayoralty post on next year’s election since his father, the incumbent mayor, is a last-termer.
Following the incident, Nazarro said they have increased police visibility on the city’s streets. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
