Another relative of Marawi mayoral bet gunned down

MARAWI CITY, Philippines - An upbeat candidate for mayor here on Friday lost another relative to suspected guns-for-hire, the second murder of a clan member in just three weeks.

The police identified the fatality as Tenteng Awar, an ethnic Maranaw and nephew of Solitario Ali, who is aspiring for the city’s mayoral post.

The younger brother of the 62-year-old Ali, Fahad Salic, incumbent mayor of Marawi City, is candidate for governor of Lanao del Sur.

Awar was on board a car en route to Marawi City, from a wedding of a relative in Cagayan de Oro City, when two men riding a motorcycle together trailing behind attacked with handguns while at a stretch of a highway in Naawan, Misamis Oriental.

The Naawan municipal police is still clueless on who the culprits were. Relatives of Awar are convinced the attack was politically-motivated.

READ: Marawi mayoral bet campaigns for peace amid threats

They believe it was another provocation for them to retaliate on the rivals of Ali and Salic to trigger hostilities that could give the Commission on Elections enough justification to put Marawi City under its full control during the May 9 elections.

Covering 96 barangays, Marawi City, capital of Lanao del Sur, is a vote-rich area, where most barangay officials are politically loyal to Ali and Salic.

The spokesperson of both candidates, Bai Nadjema, said the duo have again urged relatives and followers to remain sober and to refrain from retaliating.

The Maranaws in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur are known for their strong culture of “rido,” which means vendetta retribution, to avenge affronts on clan pride and honor.

“Our clan leaders who are candidates for mayor of Marawi City and governor of Lanao del Sur do not want hostilities. They want authorities to solve these incidents,” Bai Nadjema said.

The siblings Ali and Salic lost to gunmen a relative named Alemodin, an aide of engineer Casan Lazim, chairman of Barangay Bangolo in Marawi City, barely three weeks ago.

The Lanao del Sur provincial police and intelligence operatives of the Army’s 103rd Brigade in Marawi City have confirmed that the victim was shot dead by gunmen identified with a rival camp during an altercation over political bailiwicks.

“It seems there is a scheme being orchestrated to get our clan into trouble. Our candidates are being attacked via text messages and through social media too,” Bai Nadjema said.