Politician linked to Sulu election supervisor ambush

Metro Manila, Philippines — The ambush on the Sulu provincial election supervisor at the weekend, which killed the officer's brother, may have stemmed from the refusal to grant a politician's requests, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said Monday, Dec. 23.

Suspects on a motorcycle opened fire on the black SUV carrying Sulu Provincial Election Supervisor Vidzfar Julie in Zamboanga City on Saturday, according to the police. Julie was unharmed, but his 57-year-old brother, Naser Amil Asiri, who was onboard with him, suffered a fatal gunshot to the head.

“Ang target talaga dun yung aming tauhan, yung provincial election supervisor ng Sulu, at siya na rin mismo ang nagpinpoint ng bagay na yan (The real target there was our personnel, the provincial election supervisor of Sulu, and it was he himself who pinpointed that fact),” Garcia told reporters in a chance interview at the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

He said the police have leads on people responsible for the crime.

“More or less pulitiko [a politician],” Garcia said.

“Sapakat maraming kasi na mga request na hindi pinagbigyan, mga request na sa paniniwala ng ating provincial election supervisor ay makakapag-ensure ng unequal opportunity para sa mga kandidato diyan sa isang parte ng probinsya ng Sulu,” he added.

[Translation: Because there were many requests that were not granted, requests that, according to our provincial election supervisor, could ensure unequal opportunities for candidates in certain parts of the province of Sulu.]

He did not specify the requests but mentioned some that election officers commonly receive, including the transfer of polling precincts and voter lists with photos, which could potentially violate privacy laws.

“Pagka kasi hindi mo napagbigyan, ang feeling ng ibang pulitiko, [panig] sa kalaban yung election officer… ganyan po yung pag-uutak ng ibang pulitiko [Because if you don't grant their request, some politicians feel that the election officer is siding with the opponent... that's how some politicians think],” Garcia lamented.

He said the Comelec has classified the shooting as election-related violence - the third attack on a poll officer this year, following two fatal incidents in Lanao del Norte and Sultan Kudarat in November.

Garcia said the single incident cannot justify placing Sulu under Comelec control, as the province has been generally peaceful this year. He added that the police are identifying election hotspots.

He said some election officers in Luzon and Mindanao have reported receiving threats to their lives. These officers have been provided security by the police and military and may be transferred to safer areas if necessary.

Garcia reiterated his call for the abolition of private armies to prevent further election-related violence leading up to the May 12 midterm elections and the first-ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.