Men accused of links to siege ordered freed

MANILA -- Prosecutors have dismissed rebellion complaints against 59 men who were stopped by police and army troops at two checkpoints in the south and accused of attempting to join Islamic State-linked militants who laid siege to Marawi City.

Senior government prosecutor Peter Ong said Thursday the complaints filed by the military against the Muslim men were dismissed because of a lack of strong evidence, and authorities were ordered to free all the men.

"It is clear that respon- dents were not committing the crime of rebellion or any crime at the time of their arrests," Ong and two other prosecutors said in their findings, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press.

The men, who traveled in two big groups, may have sparked the suspicion of troops and police at checkpoints because of the Marawi siege, "but suspicion alone is not sufficient to arrest, detain, charge and indict respondents," the prosecutors said.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military respects the prosecutors' decision but that security officials still believe the men could "perhaps be eventually deployed to Marawi."

The ruling shows that the rule of law continues to work under martial law that was declared in the south by President Rodrigo Duterte to deal with the Marawi crisis, Padilla said, adding that the men were treated well and would be flown back to the south on an air force plane.

The 59 were taken into custody in southern Zamboanga city and Ipil town on July 25 amid intelligence reports that Muslim militants would attempt to reinforce the gunmen who attacked Marawi and were being bombarded by military airstrikes and ground assaults. AP