By Teofilo Garcia Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY, (PNA) -– The Dept. of Justice is studying the possibility of filing charges for violation of Republic Act 9851, or the International Humanitarian Law, against the Moro National Liberation Front rebels involved in the incursion in this city.
This was announced Wednesday by Regional State Prosecutor Peter Medalle, who disclosed that 70 of the 93 MNLF rebels captured have been formally charged with violation of the Revised Penal Code under the provision of rebellion.
Medalle disclosed that DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima has issued Department Order No. 636 a day after the standoff started designating a special panel of prosecutors to handle the inquest and preliminary investigation of the cases to be filed.
“These (violation of IHL and rebellion) are the two different cases that may be filed against those who participated in this rebellion,” Medalle told a press briefing here Wednesday.
Earlier, Interior Sec. Manuel Roxas, II said that R.A. 9851 penalizes people who intentionally direct attacks against civilians, properties and people involved in humanitarian and peace keeping missions.
Medalle said the number of respondents might increase since they are still completing the gathering of sworn affidavits and evidence in preparation for the filing of cases against the other captured MNLF rebels.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9 (CIDG-9) is assisting the DOJ in the filling of the criminal cases against the rebels.
Meanwhile, the government is also gathering evidence for an air tight case against MNLF founding chair Nur Misuari, although he disowned the acts of his men especially that of Commander Habier Malik.
Malik, a Sulu-based MNLF commander, is a trusted aide of Misuari.
The hundreds of MNLF rebels who infiltrated this city are from the provinces of Basilan and Sulu.