Rebellion charges filed vs 3 Maute suspects

The three reported members of the Maute terror group arrested by the Philippine Coast Guard in Iloilo Sunday were charged with rebellion before the prosecutor’s office yesterday.

Suspects Faridah Romato of Carmen in Cagayan de Oro, Aljadid Romato of Iligan City and Abdulralman Sevad of Marantao in Lanao del Sur were presented before the Department of Justice (DOJ) special panel of prosecutors for inquest proceedings held inside Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City. Inquest is an informal and summary investigation done by a public prosecutor on persons arrested and detained without a warrant.

Most of the arrested Maute terrorist group members are currently detained at Camp Evangelista pending the approval of the DOJ’s petition before the Supreme Court (SC) to have them transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

After inquest, prosecutors are expected to issue a resolution and file a case against the three before the Cagayan de Oro regional trial court tapped by the SC to hear the cases against them.

The three were arrested while on board 2Go’s passenger ship M/V St. Therese

of the Child Jesus in Iloilo City. The ship came from Cagayan de Oro and was en route to Manila.

The DOJ has indicted several other arrested members and supporters of Maute, including Cayamora Maute and Ominta Romato Maute, alias Farhana, parents of the Maute brothers who led the group behind the attack in Marawi City last May 23.

Also charged with rebellion before the Cagayan de Oro RTC were former Marawi City Mayor Fajad Salic and Mohaamad Maute, alias Abu Jadid, alleged bomb maker of Maute Group who was arrested in Cagayan de Oro last week.

In Pagadian City, policemen arrested two suspected medics of the Abu Sayyaf group while buying in bulk medicine that included antibiotics, anti-bacterial, pain relievers and other post-traumatic medications at a local pharmacy Wednesday morning.

Chief Supt. Billy Beltran, police Region 9 director, identified the two as Jadzrie Saabdula, 50, a nurse assigned at the Tongkil Municipal Hospital, and Jamal Kalib Jamil, 18, a fisherman. Both are natives of Sulu.

He said initial investigation showed that Saabdula is the brother of slain Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf Group commander Nadjmi Saabdula, alias Kumander Global, who was captured along with another leader, Ghalib Andang alias Commander Robot. The two leaders were among the detainees killed during a botched jailbreak from a government camp in Bicutan in March 2005.