DOJ chief confident cases vs Nur, MNLF fighers 'strong'

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said  Friday that strong cases of rebellion and violation of international human rights law will be filed in court against Moro national Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari and 284 others involved in the three-week siege in this city.

De Lima arrived here and assessed the  pieces of evidence filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) regional office under Senior Superintendent Edgar Danao and the City Prosecutors Office.

According to De Lima, a total of 284 MNLF rebels, including Misuari, had been charged before the City Prosecutors Office of this city by the CIDG in six batches.

De Lima said the state prosecutors informed her they are ready to file the criminal information in the court this coming week corresponding to the first batch of the accused MNLF rebels, including Misuari and his trusted commander Habier Malik.

She said rebellion and violation of the Republic Act 9851, which is the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity were committed by Misuari and his followers.

"Now, this time around, we are making sure that when the prosecutors filed the information against Misuari et al ay malakas na may patutunguhan, that this would lead to the successful prosecution,” De Lima said citing the Cabatangan 2001 siege where Misuari was cleared of charges.

She said  that in Cabatangan siege,  Misuari was never charged for unknown reasons.

The Jolo attack, however, led the  to detention of Misuari after he was captured in Sabah after fleeing Sulu with some of his close-in escorts.

But the regional trial court in Manila acquitted Misuari after the trial and the decision rendered in 2009 due to the insufficiency of evidence, according to De Lima.

De Lima said when she went over the records of the decision she found out that there were only four witnesses and none of the prosecution witnesses had direct or personal knowledge on the involvement of Misuari in the Jolo and Cabatangan cases.

De Lima  added that in the latest incident, she is ensuring that the cases will hold in court “because there are several witnesses now that would prove the involvement of Nur Misuari."

“The marching order of the president is to make sure the cases that would be filed against Misuari et al this time are successful,” De Lima added.

The DOJ chief said once the cases will be filed in court they will also seek measures, including the issuance of the hold departure order,  to prevent Misuari from leaving the country. - Roel Pareño