Ex-Zamboanga mayor in Duterte’s list left mansion 6 years ago

One of the public officials tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte, former Mayor Abubakar Abdul Karim Afdal, had abandoned his home in Labangan, Zamboanga City several years ago.

The house of Afdal in Barangay Dalapang has been abandoned since his term ended in 2010.

The former mayor left the town after the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency ranked him as the number one drug lord in the province while his uncle, also former town mayor Wilson Andang, was ranked second.

Afdal served as Labangan mayor from 2004 to 2007 and was re-elected to a second term in 2007 until 2010, before Nandang assumed the post from 2010 to 2013.

Afdal's mansion had been dilapidated as the former left no caretaker in his property.

Across from Afdal's home is another abandoned mansion owned by Nandang.

Incumbent town Mayor Eduardo Relacion said the whole clan of the former mayor has left the town.

"Wala na siya sa bayan ng Labangan. Wala na yung sinasabi nila na may mga relatives pa si Mayor Afdal diyan sa may Dalapang. Ganunpaman, may mga maliliit pa ring nagnenegosyo diyan hindi kagaya noon," Relacion said.

The mayor said he received reports that Afdal and his family are hiding with his brother-in-law in Talisay, Maguindanao.

"Uulitin ko, wala na siyang naiwan na mga relatives diyan sa Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur lalo na yung nagnenegosyo sa droga. Sa aking pagkakaalam nasa kanyang brother-in-law siya ngayon sa bayan ng Talisay, Maguindanao," Relacion said.

Relacion, meanwhile, alleged that Afdal and Nandang were behind the killing of former Labangan Mayor Ukol Talumpa at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in 2013.

Afdal was among the more than 150 names of current and former public officials identified by Duterte allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Relacion said Labangan was like hell during Afdal's tenure as mayor due to the rampant selling of illegal drugs in the town. —report from Aude Hampong/Joseph Tristan Roxas/ALG, GMA News