Abu Sayyaf men plead not guilty

Only 12 of the 75 suspected Abu Sayyaf men charged with kidnapping for ransom and serious illegal detention pleaded not guilty at yesterday’s arraignment at Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

Counsels for the rest of the detainees asked for the deferment of the arraignment before Judge Leili Acebo of the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 163, saying they were arrested without the benefit of a preliminary investigation.

On the other hand, the lawyer of Hector Janjalani, younger brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani, filed a motion to quash the charges against him.

"The perpetrators had only one criminal intent and that was to simultaneously kidnap all persons within the vicinity of the two elementary schools so the complex crime of kidnapping should have been the charge," explained lawyer Fidel Macauyag.

Government prosecutors have filed 11 counts of kidnap for ransom and serious illegal detention against Janjalani and other detainees.

Macauyag said Judge Acebo gave prosecutors 15 days to submit their comment on the motion before she decides on the petition.

Yesterday was supposed to be the pre-trial hearing for Janjalani who was arraigned last December but the hearing was postponed to Feb. 14 as a result of his motion to quash.

The arraignment, which started at 8:30 a.m., lasted or nearly four hours under heavy guard as several defense counsels argued for the deferment of the arraignment of the 62 other detainees, all of whom, including Janjalani, are detained at Camp Bagong Diwa.

"We believe that there is no evidence against them. A preliminary investigation would show that there is no probable cause against them," said Eduardo Ledesma, one of the defense lawyers.

Ledesma is counsel for four of the detainees, namely Munap Abdul Salidin, his son, Abdul Moner Salidin, Sikad Antonio, and Ibno Hasser Hagasi.

According to Ledesma, his clients were arrested only by virtue of "John Doe" warrants.

He further attested to the innocence of his clients, saying that they could not be members of the Abu Sayyaf. Ledesma said the elder Salidin is a former employee at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Basilan while Antonio is a barangay captain.

Meanwhile, suspected Abu Sayyaf leader Ghalib Andang, also known as "Commander Global," also appeared before the court yesterday but was sent back to his detention cell because he was not among those scheduled to be arraigned.

The military arrested the 75 suspected Abu Sayyaf members after they were held responsible for holding hostage 51 students from two schools in Tumahubog town in Basilan on March 20, 2000, that led to the killing of a priest and a teacher.