PAGADIAN CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 21, 2013) – A Filipino mayor and his wife who were killed in a daring assassination outside the Philippines international airport in Manila were buried on Saturday in their hometown in Zamboanga del Sur province in Mindanao.
The murder of Labangan town Mayor Ukol Talumpa and wife Leah, and two more, including a baby, were condemned by supporters as the couple were immediately buried side by side in accordance with Islamic tradition.
Assassins disguised as policemen attacked Talumpa’s group Friday outside the busy Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Police said 4 other family members were wounded in the attack.
Officials said the gunmen fled on a motorcycle after the daring attack that left airport authorities in total shock. Worse, there were no security cameras installed at the area where Talumpa and the others were attacked.
Talumpa’s group just arrived at the airport from Pagadian City in the southern province of Zamboanga del Sur and was on a yuletide holiday when gunmen staged the attack.
No other details were made available by the police about the attack, but Talumpa, a member of the Nacionalista Party, was also attacked in September last year in Pagadian City. His convoy was attacked with a grenade by an unidentified man and injuring his police escort.Talumpa was heading home from shopping when the attack occurred.
And in 2010, the politician and his niece were injured in an attack by suspected hired killers on their car in Manila.
In his last Facebook page post, Talumpa just greeted his constituents “Assalamo alaykom Labangan.”
Another post showed the politician embracing his wife, Leah, and has this written: “Napakasarap sabihin na pinagpala ako ni Allah dahil kahit nahihirapan ako sa kabila ng pagsubok at unos na nararanasan ko ay may isang taong laging nasa tabi ko nag aalaga, nagmamalasakit at nag aaruga sa akin. iloveyouMAMA.”
Another photo showed the couple during Talumpa’s oath taking as mayor in Labangan town. (Mindanao Examiner)
20