Special panels eyed to prosecute terrorists

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will form two special panels that will prosecute members of terror groups Maute and Abu Sayyaf accused of perpetrating the Marawi City siege that has killed more than 400 individuals.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday said the DOJ will select 30 prosecutors to undergo training for the continuous trial of the rebellion cases against the terrorists while awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court on a motion to designate temporary courts for the rebellion cases.

The Justice department is seeking to designate Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC) or Special Intensive Care Area in Camp Bagong Diwa, instead of the court in Cagayan de Oro City, as special courts for the cases involving the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists.

The SC, in a resolution dated June 6, directed the Cagayan de Oro RTC to hear and try cases arising from Maute group’s terrorist attacks in Marawi City. It also designated Camp Evangelista as the temporary detention facility of the arrested terrorists.

Aguirre said each prosecution panel, to be composed of 15 prosecutors, will be headed by a senior prosecutor.

A number of Maute and Abu Sayyaf members have already been indicted by the DOJ since martial law was proclaimed in Mindanao on May 23.

Among them are Maute clan matriarch Ominta “Farhana” Romato Maute, former Marawi mayor Fahad Salic, Faridah Pangompig Romato, Aljadid Pangompig Romato, Abdulralman Dimakuta Sevad and alleged Abu Sayyaf medics Jadzrie Saabdula and Jamal Jamil.