The Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the rebellion complaint against 59 suspected members of the Maute terrorist group.

“The DOJ will not be a part of any injustice,” assured Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in a statement.

This general view shows destroyed buildings as seen from a government sniper's position on the frontline in Marawi, on July 22, 2017. (AFP PHOTO / TED ALJIBE / MANILA BULLETIN)

“If in the assessment of our panel of prosecutors there is no basis to charge a person in court, such a finding should be respected,” he pointed out.

Aguirre explained the panel prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong dismissed the case after finding no probable cause to indict them.

“They did not find the military witness as credible,” said Aguirre.

With this, the secretary said the panel of prosecutors has ordered their release including four minors from detention in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

On July 27, the rebellion complaint was filed against them before the DOJ following their arrests on July 25.

Among them, 32 got arrested at a checkpoint in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, while the remaining 27, of which four were minors, were arrested along Daisy Road in Guiwan, Zamboanga City. They were all arrested last July 25.

In their counteraffidavits, the respondents said they were never told that they were being recruited to beef up the ranks of the Maute.

They said they were recruited to join the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and eventually become integrees in the military.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Jeffrey Damicog

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