MANILA- The widow of Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan on Friday broke her silence, as she sought justice for the slain government official.

“Sana di mawalan ng saysay ang pagkamatay mo, sana may hustisya. Sana ang pagkagahaman nila ay may katapusan,” Gemma Lubigan said.

(I hope your death was not in vain. I hope there is justice. I hope their greed will end.)

Gemma was the first to see her husband inside the vehicle just moments after being shot by still unidentified men.

“Sa ngayon di ko maintindihan, ang hirap intindihin, sa tagal ng paghihirap mo mula 2016, mga pasakit na ginawa nila sa iyong panunungkulan, pinagkaisahan ka nila,” she said, recalling how her husband used to comfort her.

(Right now, I cannot understand, it's too difficult. For all of your sacrifices since 2016, the challenges they threw at your leadership, they connived against you.)

Lubigan and his driver were killed outside the Korean-Philippines Hospital in his town Saturday afternoon.

His death follows the slay of mayors in Batangas and Nueva Ecija and was trailed by another slay of a Tawi-Tawi vice mayor.

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Lubigan said her husband only wanted to serve the public and even had dreams of running for mayor, but was now robbed of the opportunity.

“Ang gusto mo lang naman ang maglingkod, mas pinili mo ang bayan kaysa sa amin. Sabi mo aayusin mo lang ang Trece, gustong gusto mong magsilbi. Gusto mong tumakbong mayor pero tinanggalan ka nila ng karapatan, kinitil nila ang buhay mo,” she said.

(You only wanted to serve and you placed the country first before us. You said you wanted to fix Trece and serve. You wanted to run for mayor but they removed that right from you, they killed you.)

Lubigan hopes killings will soon stop.

"Sana di na masundan ang ganitong trahedya. Sana hipuin ni Lord ang puso nila kung meron man sila nito para maging mabuti na silang tao," she said.

(I hope there will be no more of this tragedy. I hope the Lord touches their hearts, if they have one, so that they will become good people.)

A tribute in honor of the slain vice mayor's service will be held on Saturday in his residence. His remains will be laid to rest at the St. Jude Memorial Park on Sunday, July 15.

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