Campaign manager of Tawi-Tawi mayoral bet gunned down

MANILA, Philippines — A man killed with an M16 assault rifle on Friday, February 28, the supposed campaign manager of a mayoral candidate in Tawi-Tawi who is a brother-in-law of the governor in the province.

Officials of the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office and Brig. Gen. Juan Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, separately told reporters on Saturday, March 1, that the gun attack victim, Habib Jamir, died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds.

Jamir was to lead the campaign team of Rhomar Matolo, candidate for mayor of Tandubas in Tawi-Tawi, brother of the now third-termer mayor Rhodesia Matolo-Sali.

Matolo-Sali is the wife of the reelectionist governor in the province, Ysmael Sali.

Relatives of Jamir and members of the Matolo clan are certain that the murder of Jamir was politically-motivated.

The Tandubas Municipal Police Station had reported to Macapaz that Jamir was standing at one spot in Barangay Himba in Tandubas when a man armed with an M16 assault rifle came close and shot him repeatedly, killing him immediately.

The attacker of Jamir immediately escaped, now subject of a police manhunt.

Macapaz said he has directed his subordinate police officers in Tawi-Tawi to enlist the help of barangay officials in Tandubas in locating the suspect.