Warrants issued for arrest of top MILF leaders, men
They are probably guilty of
DAVAO CITY
(PNA) — A Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge here has sustained the findings of
the Davao City Prosecution Office that leaders and members of the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF) are “probably guilty” of the March 4 bombing of the
Davao International Airport (DIA) waiting shed that killed 22 persons and
wounded 136 others.
“After careful examination and
evaluation of the evidence on hand, it presented during the trial, this Court
finds the same to be sufficient to compel (all) the accused to adduce their
evidence,” RTC Branch 12 presiding Judge Paul Arcangel stated in his order
dated March 13, 2003.
The death toll in the airport bombing
raised to 22 after another blast victim Aileen Galo, 26, died last March 11.
Arcangel issued warrants for the arrest
of MILF chairman Salamat Hashim, MILF vice chairman for political affairs
Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for military affairs Al Hadz Murad, MILF
spokesman Eid Kabalu and 144 others for the crime of multiple murder with multiple frustrated murder.
Arcangel further ordered the continued
detention of Terso Sudang and Undungan Sudang who were earlier detained by
operatives of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in connection
with the airport bombing.
The MILF was implicated in the case
after police probers discovered that the suspected airport bomber, Muntazer
Sudang, was an MILF member.
In a resolution approved by CPO
officer-in-charge Danilo Belo, Assistant City Prosecutor Jose Garcia Jr. found
sufficient basis to file multiple murder with multiple frustrated murder
charges against the MILF for the airport bombing.
Garcia also held Terso and Undungan
Sudang, both of Kabacan,
Terso and Undungan Sudang were earlier
arrested by CIDG operatives while they were about to claim the body of
Muntazer.
Garcia said the MILF’s previous
pronouncements to conduct bombing missions prior to the incident clearly
indicated the intent to cause indiscriminate destruction to property and loss
of innocent lives.
“This is a matter of public knowledge
(referring to MILF pronouncements) which the courts ought to take judicial
notice,” Garcia said.
In filing the murder charges in court,
Garcia said the MILF is supposed to be a rebel organization. “But the act of
killing innocent, unarmed, and harmless women and children is never classified
as act in furtherance of rebellion,” he said.