LABANGAN, ZAMBOSUR – For Mayor Abubakar Afdal, the series of extra judicial killings targeting his political supporters and relatives is an act perpetrated by “evil persons” who are out to eliminate him, sooner or later, for good.
The killings are ill-tined and purely for political motives, he said in an interview inside his residence.
Afdal was referring to the deaths of his cousin Rascal Afdal, Hanira Agcong and Steve Tapodoc, the Mayor’s Executive secretary and a candidate for the town council, who were all killed in a span of two weeks.
He believes the killing of his supporters is being perpetrated to end his clout in Labangan, one of the vote-rich municipalities in Zamboanga del Sur.
“Dako gyod kaayo ko ug pagtoo nga politika ni ug dili Rido sama sa gisulti sa uban. Election gun ban pa, ngano mapatay pa ang tawo, mao ni ang pangutana nako?”, the mayor said.
The death list is long, Afdal claimed as evidence by several text messages he received. “Mohangyo nalang unta ko nga undangon nila ning pagpamatay sa akong mga tawo kay looy kaayo ang ilang pamilya nga nabilin mga bata pa kaayo ang ilang mga anak”, Afdal added.
Last January 18, the Liberal Party (LP) took the cudgels of Afdal and condemned the gruesome murders of his political supporters and demanded a thorough investigation to find the killers so that justice could be meted out.
Afdal and his nephew Vice Mayor Kiti Nandang are presently allied with the LP.
Without mentioning names, Afdal said he knows who are the mastermind and killers but he is still gathering more evidences.
“Dakong politiko ang hinungdan aning mga panghitabo dinhi,” Afdal said as he disclosed many of his supporters are now afraid but he urged them to let the law take its course and not retaliate with violence.
As his concluding statement Afdal implored the help of Gov. Aurora Cerilles on the said issue.
“Ako mohangyo ni madam Governor Cerilles isip siya ang chairman sa Peace and Order Council nga tabangan kami nga taga Labangan kay nagpakamatay man mi kaniya kaniadtong miaging election,” Afdal concluded.
As of press time the governor can not be reached for comment.
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|2010-01-31 14:51:48 CatalystOfChange - unsa??Kataw anan! ang mga killer ug mga Drug lord na karon ang magpalooi looi.... dakung bakak! kinsa inyong gibinuangan? inyong lolo nga palot??? hoy, pauli sa inyong gigikanan kay sukad naabot mo diri sa among dakbayan, dakung kagubot ang inyong gidala.. kamo ang dapat maghunong sa pagpamatay ninyo.. mga salot! motoo ko nga magbag-o ka ug kami mo botar kanimo uban sa akong pamilya kung imong tulisokon ug kuhaan ug mata imong pagumangkon nga walay grado nga mo dagan pa ug mayor! hahhaha mao na ni ron.. kato sab mga bugo nga mangpailad.. pailad lang mo anang mga tawhana total kamo raman ang mag antos! pakan-a inyong anak ug mga drugs para tabla tabla na mo tanan. ejejejjejejej
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|2010-01-31 22:28:27 the true webmasterfaceThe only way to stop the series of killings to the individuals from labangan is to stop their illegal businesses there mos especially drug traffickings....The way to peaceful and healthy community is on a good leadership and on how one would govern his place and people....Mayor Afdal is known of his illegal businesses and that could be the main cause why his relatives and supporters were killed...Please make labangan a better place not making it a smokey mountain of illegal drugs...People of Labangan wake up....Fight for your freedom and independence from being imprisoned of your worst nightmare....Only the people of Labangan can make a real change.....
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|2010-02-01 05:44:32 CatalystOfChange - AGree kaayoI really agree with you.. the problem of Labangan is rooted only with few people who are pretending to be a public servant yet noted as Drug Trafficker. I pity the town of Labangan for having such kind of leaders. tsk tsk tsk.
I am dreaming that one of these days, labangan will be so peaceful that christian and Muslim brothers will be united as one with hand to hand to govern the future. but as for now, it wil never be posible as long as these kind of people are sitting in the chair and dominating the town while along their way killing who might try to be a hindrance. i just hope Labanangan will become so peaceful by casting their votes to the right person to be of their leader who at all times will see the general welfare ot the citizenry of this place..... to you mayor afdal and Kitty Nandang. Fuck OFF!!!!!!!! get out in that place.. you are like a stinky rat eating all the good things about labangan. Kitty Nandang is running for mayorship? wow! he didnt even know how to write his name and cannot understand or make simple sentence.. wat do you expect about this kind of person?? all he wanted is power so that he can continue his illegal activities in labangan.. wake up and dont be fool my fellow borhter and sister with this stinky rat! cast your vote not to the drug lord but to the one who you think is best to govern labanangan. difinitly not The Afdal-Nandang Stupid people.. bleeehhh!
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|2010-02-02 18:35:05 CatalystOfChange - Kalami Pang Dabdaban!ako usa ka simple nga lumulupto lamang sa dakbayan sa pagadian. wala ko na affiliate sa pulitika or sa unsa man... apan makaguol kaayo nga paminawon nga naa pa diay mga tawong mo dapig ug mga sagbot sa katilingban... sa gikaingin pa, kung ikaw uyon sa mga sagbot, usa pud ka kadakung sagbot nga mas bahu pa kanila. ako mga higala nag sige ko paminaw aning mga tawo hilabi na sa Radyo nga grabe mo storya ug bagi-bi sa kahanginan nga bisan pa walay grado kabalo ta nga pabor batuk kanila. klarohay lang tah.. pila man ang inyong madawat aron lang sa pagpanglimbung sa mga katawhan aron mo dapig aning mga tawhana? wala ba mo nahadlok nga inyong ginatu-is ang kamatuoran? sige lang... kay hinaot nga sa umaabot nga adlaw usa sa inyong pamilya sab ang mahiagum sa ilang mga kamot.
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|2010-04-20 20:43:12 Dako Mata - Salot sa BayanThe National LP Leadership has not made background checks on their allies in Zambo Sur. If they knew what the true color their supporters are sporting, then they may think twice, thrice and many more.
The Zambo Sur LP allies are the so called incompetent persons. They were their before in the province as Vice-Governor, Board Members. What were their major accomplishments during their time that made them so proud of? Nothing...
The present Labangan leadership are also called the salot of the communities. Not only affecting the youths of Labangan, but all the communities in Zambo Sur. Why killings, robberies were so rampant before because of influence & addiction among the youths of illegal drugs trade perpetrated by the Labangan Drug Lord.
All of these facts, We need to combine our efforts to vote straight the Administartion Candidates of Zambo Sur. Hurrah!!!!!!
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|2010-05-01 21:49:59 AnonymousIm from zamboanga city. But presently i stay in tiguma pagadian city. I gues ders n0body n0r no 1 s ryt with der rum0rs n speculati0ns towards any pers0n particularly to the mayor n vice mayor and 2 the govern0r n ol other pers0nalities inv0lve with this isue n0t unless they can prove 8 n they cn pr0duce evidnce c0ncerning their acusati0n towards those people. Legaly speaking u cnt brand or called a certain pers0n as druglord n0t unles he s c0nvictd of such case. So 4 me, do n0t just talk n talk and then spread unc0nfirm rum0rs of facts, b4 u utter 8 2 the public make sure u hev ur str0ng evidnce 2 sup0rt n cn pr0ve da guilt of those pers0nalities nv0lve.
