DOJ starts probe on rebellion raps vs Maute

MANILA – The Department of J ustice will begin t he preliminary investigation into the rebellion charges filed against 59 suspected Maute terrorist group recruits arrested in Zamboanga City on July 25.

The respondents were set to submit their respective counter- affidavits this afternoon, said the department’s three- man panel handling the cases.

The 59 suspects were presented to the panel of prosecutors l ed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong on July 28 after being flown to Manila from Zamboanga del Sur via a C-130 military plane.

Signing their waiver of detention, the suspects decided to let the panel proceed with the preliminary investigation.

One of those arrested was Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) member Nur Supian, whom the other suspects identified as their recruiter.

Of the 59 suspects, 32 were caught at a checkpoint in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. The rest – including four minors – were apprehended on Daisy Road in Guiwan, Zamboanga City.

Authorities seized from the suspects military uniforms, boots and MNLF identification cards.

They were all detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Another MNLF member, Abdurahid Arasid, said Supian recruited him to join the Maute forces looking for recruits to beef up its forces in Marawi City. He said he was promised a P30,000 monthly salary and firearms.

While he initially refused, Arasid claimed he later joined and was tasked to keep watch of the group’s activities.

Supian did not tell the other suspects they were being hired to fight for Maute. Instead, he told them they will undergo training as MNLF “integrees” to be able to join the military, Arasid said. The other suspects corroborated these claims.

Supian belied these, saying he has documents that will show the recruits were really up for training. (