SC grants DOJ's request for transfer of venue of cases vs. MNLF rebels

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 17): SC grants DOJ's request for transfer of venue of cases vs. MNLF rebels

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted the request of the Department of Justice for the transfer of venue of the cases against suspected members of the Moro National Liberation Front Misuari faction that took siege of Zamboanga City.

According to SC Public Information Office Chief and Spokesman Atty. Theodore O. Te, the request of Prosecutor General Claro A. Arellano requesting for a change of venue was endorsed to the SC en banc which approved the transfer of venue from Zamboanga City to the appropriate Regional Trial Court of Taguig City.

Arellano earlier filed a motion for change of venue before the Zamboanga City RTC to transfer to Metro Manila or to any court in Visayas for a more secure environment for the witnesses.

He stressed they filed a motion only for the MNLF commanders who led the siege in some barangays in Zamboanga City.

The Zamboanga City RTC has already issued warrants of arrest against MNLF founding chair and erstwhile Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Nurulaji "Nur" Misuari and MNLF commander Habier Malic, and 63 other MNLF leaders and members for the case rebellion and violation of the international humanitarian law, and other crimes against humanity, in connection with the standoff in Zamboanga City.

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