5 suspects in Jolo blast charged – DOJ

The five suspects allegedly involved in the twin blasts at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo last January 27 that killed 23 persons have been charged before the Jolo Regional Trial Court.

“OIC-Provincial Prosecutor Rommel Cancio today filed an information for the complex crime of Multiple Murder with Multiple Frustrated Murder against Mukammar L. Pay @ Kammah, Albaji K. Gadjali @ Apah, Radjan B. Gadjaliq, Kaiser Gadjali and Said Alih,” DOJ spokesperson Undersecretary Markk Perete said in a statement Wednesday.

The DOJ, he said will not seek the transfer of the case to Manila.

“The evidence and witnesses necessary to prosecute the case are in Jolo. Hence, it would be more efficient to hold trial there unless compelling reasons exist for the transfer of trial to Manila. As of now, we have yet to receive any request from our prosecutor to effect such transfer,” he explained.

Kammah ini¬tially surrendered to the 35th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army Saturday reportedly to clear his name before he was turned over to police in Jolo, Sulu.

The four other suspects surrendered separately to other police units in Sulu Sunday.

The five have been placed under the custody of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu.