RIYADH: Filipino expats in the Kingdom have expressed sympathy for well-known Islamic scholar Ayed Al-Qarni in the aftermath of the shooting incident in Zamboanga City.

Talking to a local daily, Philippine Ambassador Ezzedin Tago expressed his sorrow for the shooting incident that targeted Al-Qarni. He described it as an isolated incident. He wished Al-Qarni, as well as the embassy attaché Turki Al-Sayyeg, a speedy recovery.

The region has a mixed population of Muslims and Christians, including the followers of extremist Abu Sayyaf and Daesh as well as followers of the Iranian ideology who have been active in the impoverished southern part of the country.

“Al-Qarni is a prominent and distinguished figure and we look forward to his speedy recovery as well as that of Al-Sayyeg. We are very sorry for this incident and we strongly condemn any type of violence, especially in schools and against individuals of different faiths,” Tago told the media.

“An investigation is under way. The assailant was shot dead by police acting as security escorts and the scholar was immediately flown to Manila, where he is recovering in hospital.”

The ambassador downplayed the implications of the incident on the visits of Saudi tourists to his country. “We hope that this single incident does not affect tourism. Security forces are all over the Philippines and we do not normally hear anything against Saudis in our country,” he said.

According to CNN, the Philippine authorities have not found any identification documents on the assailant. Two men have been arrested in connection with the shooting.

The French news agency, AFP, quoted the statement of the Philippine Foreign Ministry expressing regret over the shooting and wishing Al-Qarni a speedy recovery.

Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco has ordered an investigation into the shooting. She said the Ulema Council of Zamboanga Peninsula had organized the Islamic symposium during which the shooting occurred.

Local police said the suspects came from with the crowd and approached Al-Qarni when he was entering his vehicle and shot him. The assailant then moved to the other side and shot the diplomat.

The police said Al-Qarni was wounded in his right shoulder while his escort sustained injuries to his right foot.

Zamboanga is a major city in the south of the Philippines and it has both Muslim and Christian residents. The Muslims are in a minority in the region which has witnessed separatist movements for years.