DOJ begins probe on Cotabato City Vice Mayor's ambush

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has started its preliminary investigation into criminal charges filed against Cotabato City Mayor Japal Guiani Jr. and six others over the ambush attempt on Vice Mayor Datu Muslimim Sema. 

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has created a three-member panel of state prosecutors to conduct the preliminary probe on charges of frustrated murder and three counts of attempted murder against Guiani, city administrator and Guiani’s sister Cynthia Sayadi, her husband Omar Sayadi, Councilors Graham Dumama and Abdilla Lim, barangay chairman Amil Sula, and former Cotabato City deputy station commander Noel Gutierrez. 

In Department Order No. 147 released yesterday, De Lima assigned Assistant State Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano and prosecution lawyers Gerard Gaerlan and Javee Laurence Bandong as members of the panel.

Citing interest of public service, the DOJ chief directed the panel “to file the appropriate information before the appropriate court if the evidence warrants.” 

The DOJ is acting on a complaint filed by the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao against the respondents last Feb. 6.

Based on their investigation and a witness’ testimony, police said politics was the motive behind the attempt to kill Sema last Jan. 10. 

Sema is reportedly planning to run again for city mayor in 2013 and that the respondents allegedly conspired to assassinate him, probers said. 

Sema sustained gunshot wounds in the back of the head and right jaw when he was waylaid near his residence in Barangay Rosary Heights-7 this city. He was rushed to the Notre Dame Hospital but was later transferred to the Davao Doctors Hospital upon the request of his wife, Rep. Sandra Sema. 

The charges filed were also in relation to the near fatal ambush of Sema, a three-term mayor of Cotabato City, before he won the vice mayoral race in 2010. 

Gutierrez was charged, too, for deliberately withholding vital evidence in the case. 

Guiani earlier had denied his involvement in the slay attempt, alleging that the witness was only making up stories. 

He said he and other city officials were too busy running the city government that they had no time planning Sema’s ambush.