House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez
Sara, Romualdez slam Mayor’s slay
Sara Duterte
LAKAS Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) Chairperson Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday condemned in the strongest possible terms the killing of their partymate, Al Barka, Basilan Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid.
“This is to strongly condemn the killing of Al Barka Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid by unidentified gunmen in Zamboanga City Monday morning. Mayor Darussalam was a member of Lakas-CMD Party and a personal friend. His untimely demise is truly tragic and heartbreaking. This cowardly act deserves our collective outrage and condemnation,” said Duterte, vice presidential aspirant of Lakas-CMD under UniTeam Alliance.
Lajid was gunned down at the Baliwasan Seaside, Zamboanga City Monday along with the bodyguard of Akbar Mayor Alih Sali, also a member of Lakas-CMD. Sali was critically wounded.
“With the officers and members of Lakas-CMD, my thoughts and prayers for Mayor Darussalam and his aide as we offer their families our deepest condolences. We also wish for the speedy recovery of Mayor Sali, a member of the local United Bangsamoro Party but also a member of the Lakas-CMD in Basilan. May the perpetrators behind this appalling attack be immediately brought to justice,” Duterte said.
For his part, Romualdez, Lakas-CMD President,said “We, in the Lakas-CMD, condemn the recent gun attack on two of our partymates, both mayors of Basilan province, that left Mayor Darussalam Saguindilan Lajid of Al-Barka dead and Akbar Mayor Alih Awal Sali critically wounded.”
“We also mourn the death of Mayor Sali’s security aide, Farrad Nurrudin, who was with the Basilan mayors when unidentified gunmen attacked them after disembarking from a sea vessel in Zamboanga City early Monday morning. We call on our law enforcement agencies to exhaust all means possible to identify those responsible for the gun attack and to put them all behind bars,” Romualdez added.
“The officials and members of Lakas-CMD extend its condolences to the bereaved families of the victims, and we are one with them in prayers that justice will be served the soonest time possible. Both Mayors Lajid and Sali took their oath as Lakas-CMD members only last September 11,” Romualdez said.
