A Basilan mayor and a security escort were killed while another mayor was wounded in what is suspected to be a politically motivated gun attack near a private port in Zamboanga city at around 8:30 Monday morning.
A police report identified the victims as Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid, mayor of Albarka Municipality in Basilan, and security escort Barad Nuruddin.
Another mayor, Mayor Ali Awal Sali of Akbar Municipality, was wounded in the attack.
A police report said that the mayors and their security escorts had just alighted from their speedboat at a finger wharf in Barangay Baliwasan when four gunmen opened fire.
Lajid and Nuruddin, the latter identified as the cousin and driver of Mayor Sali, were declared dead on arrival at a local hospital.
Authorities found spent shells from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.
Lawmen are investigating reports that the suspects rode together with the mayors in the speedboat and engaged the officials in a shootout upon reaching an area near the mosque.
Zamboanga Police Spokesperson P/Lt. Mary Agnes Miro said the suspects left on board a motorized boat and a white Ford vehicle.
Police are conducting hot pursuit operations for the arrest of the suspects.