ANOTHER candidate of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance was killed in Zamboanga City on Thursday, spurring UNA to demand that the Commission on Elections step up security preparations for the May 9 elections.
The police said former Pangutaran, Sulu mayor Ahmad Nanoh, 55, was on board his Toyota Hi-Lux truck at Candido Street in Barangay Tetuan, Zamboanga City at 5 p.m. when two men riding a motorcycle stopped beside his vehicle and opened fire at close range.
Nanoh was rushed to a private hospital but died minutes later. Police investigators recovered four slugs from a .45 cal. pistol.
Zamboanga City police spokesperson Inspector Helen Galvez said they have yet to establish the motive behind the killing of Nanoh, but they are not ruling out political rivalry.
On Friday, UNA condemned the killing of Nanoh and urged the Comelec to ensure peace during the election period.
“We strongly condemn the killing of Mayor Ahmad Nanoh. We are saddened by the violence committed against UNA and Vice President Binay supporters. Mayor Nanoh was the third UNA members who were victims of election related violence, “ UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan said.
Ilagan said Sto. Tomas, Batangas Councilor Damasino Mabilangan Jr., who was running for reelection, was gunned down by still unidentified armed men last Feb. 12. In less than a week, former Banisilan, North Cotabato Mayor Floro Allado was also killed in an ambush. Both were active supporters of Binay.
The vice president personally expressed his sympathy and condolences to the family of the late mayor Nanoh, Ilagan said.
Ilagan reiterated that election-related violence has become so prevalent and widespread that it has practically reached to an uncontrollable scale, adding that the spate of killings foreshadows sweeping poll violence in the coming May 9 elections.