Ex-Maguindanao mayor seeks new probe of multiple murder case

MANILA, Philippines - A former mayor of Datu Piang, Maguindanao has sought a re-investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) into a multiple murder case filed against him before the Cotabato City regional trial court (RTC) that he said was an old case already dismissed two years ago.

In a 21-page memorandum, former mayor Samer Uy also asked the Cotabato RTC to recall the arrest warrant it earlier issued against him and instead remand the case to the Maguindanao prosecutor’s office for the proper preliminary investigation.

“The case filed by the complainant in 2012 is similar to the one she filed way back in 2010. That 2010 case had been dismissed by the Cotabato City RTC Branch 13 for lack of probable cause. The information for that case was also filed by Prosecutor Yanson,” Uy told the Cotabato RTC.

He said the case, which stemmed from a revived complaint of a certain Penengkong Abdulrasid last January, was filed in court by Maguindanao provincial prosecutor Rodolfo Yanson in the absence of any preliminary investigation.

Uy accused the fiscal of railroading the probe and immediately filing the information in court without giving him the chance to answer the allegations, thus violating his constitutional right to due process and equal protection of the law.

Cotabato RTC Judge George Jabino issued an arrest warrant for Uy and his co-respondents a day after the filing of the multiple murder case against them.

Named co-accused are Sukarno Tapaya Uspo, Ben Carandang, Sherhan Uy, Musib Tan, and Mike Brando.