CONGRESSWOMAN Jum Akabar, representative of the lone district of Basilan province, passed away on Friday, November 11, due to heart failure.
The untimely demise of Akbar was confirmed by lawyer Quirino Esguerra, Jr., the lawyer of the Akbar’s family, but did not provide further details.
“Yes. It’s true,” Esguerra said in a text message.
In Basilan, the family of Akbar said that the cause of her death was cardiac arrest. She died at the St. Luke’s Medical Center.
Akbar is the widow of Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar, who died in the Batasang Pambansa bombing on November 13, 2007.
She has served for three consecutive terms as governor of Basilan province before she was elected as congresswoman.
Like Akbar, her husband has also served as governor for three consecutive terms as governor of the province prior to his election as congressman.