ZAMBOANGA CITY - A Sulu election officer was safe while his brother was wounded in a drive-by shooting incident Saturday in Zamboanga City, police said.

Police identified the victim as Nasser Amil Asiri, 57, elder brother of Vidzfar Amil Julie, 51, the provincial election supervisor of Sulu.

Comelec George Erwin Garcia strongly condemned the incident on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"No words are enough to condemn this treacherous act of violence against our people. What is more gruesome ang unforgivable is when a loved one is caught in the crossfire so to speak. We are not yet prepared to cry hopelessness but a call for immediate action from authorities is strongly demanded." Garcia said.

Police said the incident happened around 10:30 am Saturday at Sitio Villa Sta. Maria, Barangay Sta. Maria.

Julie said they came from Zamboanga International Airport and on the way home to Villa Sta. Maria when one of two men riding tandem in a motorcycle opened fire.

Asiri fetched Julie from the airport as the election officer had just arrived from Jolo.

“I know I am the target of the gunmen,” Julie said in an interview.

Zamboanga City police have launched manhunt operation to arrest the riding-in-tandem gunmen. DMS-Marie Manalili