Tawi-Tawi vice mayor shot dead in Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — A vice mayor of a town in Tawi-Tawi province was gunned down by an unidentified assailant late yesterday afternoon in this city, becoming the latest local government official to be murdered.

The victim was identified as Al-Rashid Mohammad Ali, 53, vice mayor of Sapa-Sapa town.

Senior Insp. Shellamie Chang, spokesperson for the Zamboanga City Police Office, said Ali was in his Toyota Innova service vehicle with license plate KDV 514 when it was slowed by heavy traffic near the intersection along Gov. Alvarez street at around 5:20 p.m.

The gunman approached the vehicle and fired four times at Ali, who was seated in the front passenger side.

“He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival,” Chang said.

Witnesses told police the suspect escaped toward the intersection of Gov. Alvarez and Nuñez road.

Chang said police were investigating the motive for the shooting, the seventh so far in this city.