CA extends freeze order on terror funds

MANILA, Philippines – The Court of Appeals extended yesterday for another four months the freeze on all assets owned by Hilarion Santos, the alleged leader of the terrorist Rajah Solaiman Movement.

Prosecutors said the extended freeze would give the government more time to gather evidence to support a planned forfeiture case against Santos.

The extended freeze order, which is in effect until Jan. 25 next year, makes it illegal to sell off properties owned by Santos, who is on trial for rebellion and kidnapping.

Santos and his group were arrested in their safehouse in Barangay San Jose, Zamboanga City Tuesday night on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by the Pasig Regional Trial Court.

Arrested with Santos were Malik Alimuddin, Nurumja Amdal, Ibni Yasser Amdal, Nursidi Ballao, Buddod Abdulla, Ismael Edris, and Santos’s wife, Sakina Yaquim.

In a five-page resolution written by Associate Justice Teresita Dy-Liacco Flores, the CA’s Special Second Division granted a petition of the Anti-Money Laundering Council to extend the freeze order against properties and assets in the name of Santos or his aliases Hilarion de los Santos Jr., Hilarion del Rosario Santos III and Ricardo Ayeras.

“What the freeze order seeks is to prevent the disposal of the properties,” read the court ruling.

It does not prevent Santos or his relatives from using or earning a living from the properties.

The original freeze order expired last Sept. 26, prompting the Office of the Solicitor General to ask for an extension.

The Santos assets include a residential building in Quezon City and a 25-hectare farm near the town of Anda in Pangasinan.