ZAMBOANGA
CITY: Criminal charges against 59 members of the MNLF implicated in this city’s
siege last year, were recommended to be dismissed by the DOJ.
The
so-called Zamboanga siege happened in September 2013 where more than 200
alleged MNLF members staged a rebellion here.
Justice
Sec. Leila de Lima last week said the DOJ recommended the dismissal after the
Pasig court handling the rebellion case ordered the prosecution to undertake a
re-investigation.
De
Lima said the court still has the decision to abide with the prosecution
panel’s recommendation.
She
clarified that MNLF chairman Nur Misuari is still among those remaining in the
charge sheet.
Misuari,
who faces charges of rebellion and other crimes, is at present still hunted
down by police and military forces.
A
violation of the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian
Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity were filed last year against
the MNLF chairman and more than 270
others.
Misuari’s
commander, Habier Malik, also faces charges before the Zamboanga City RTC.
Malik,
like Misuari, is still at large, while 57 of their companions are now being
held at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm, here.
The
Supreme Court last year approved the transfer of the first batch of cases,
including the one against Misuari, from Zamboanga to Manila.
The
DOJ said last year’s siege in this city resulted in several casualties and
extensive damage to several villages within Zamboanga.
Misuari
and his men were charged for taking up arms and attacking government security
forces and civilians, including acts of violence against residents and for
taking non-combatant civilians as hostages during the fighting.
Twelve
people died during the siege while 75 civilians were injured as more than P200-million
in damages was reported.
The
DOJ said Misuari’s men broke into houses, took about 300 hostages whom they
used as human shields, and the burned 9,732 houses and buildings, both public
and private.