Two years after the deadly three-week Zamboanga siege in September 2013 and after the arraignment of more than 100 of the 236 accused, the rebellion case that stemmed from the incident is finally advancing to the trial proper stage.
Assistant State Prosecutor Cesar Angelo Chavez said the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 158 in Pasig City which is handling the case, has scheduled the last three pre-trial hearings for September 22, 23, and 24. After the scheduled hearings, the proceedings enter the trial proper.
Chave explained that a pre-trial allows issues involving a case to be "simplified." He added: "The prosecution and the defense also agree and admit facts para hindi na i-prove sa court."
A total of 236 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) stand accused and the information or charges stemming from the incident have been amended 11 times already, Chavez said.
He said all detained accused - totaling more than 100 - have already been arraigned, while two others have been dropped from the information after they turned into state witness.
"Actually mabilis na siya [ang takbo ng kaso] considering the transfer of the detention of the accused and the number of documents and number of the accused," Chavez told GMA News Online in an interview.
Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon assured the public that the rebellion case is "going through a very comprehensive pre-trial" but refused to elaborate or touch on the merits of the case.
"I cannot say more as we have a gag order from the court. I hope you understand," Fadullon said in a separate interview.
Rebellion charges
Rebellion charges
Charges of rebellion and violation of the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity were filed in two batches in October and December 2013 against MNLF chairman Nur Misuari and more than 200 others for the Zamboanga City siege.
Misuari and his men were charged with rebellion for taking up arms and attacking government security forces and civilians, and by committing “acts of murder, pillage, disorder, looting, arson, and destruction of private and public properties."
The cases were originally filed with the Zamboanga RTC but had to be transferred to Metro Manila since the Zamboanga Hall of Justice was damaged during fighting between the MNLF and government forces. The case was assigned to Pasig Judge Maria Rowen Modesto San Juan.
The arrested suspects were initially held at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, but eventually transferred to Camp Bagong Diwain Taguig City.
Meanwhile, Misuari, his commander Habier Malik, and several others remained at large to this day. The military and police are already jointly hunting down the accused at large.
They were also charged for their acts of violence against residents who did not take an active part in the armed hostilities, and for taking non-combatant civilians as hostages during the fighting.
According to the military, the Zamboanga City attack led to the deaths of nine soldiers, five policemen, 11 civilians, and at least 100 MNLF rebels, and injuries to other civilians in the area.
The Zamboanga City attack also resulted in several casualties and extensive damage within the city, particularly in barangays Mariki, Rio Hondo, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Catalina, Kasanyangan, Talon-talon, and Mampang.
The criminal charges also covered the armed group's breaking into houses, taking about 300 hostages whom they used as human shields, and the burning of 9,732 houses and buildings, both public and private, causing more than P200 million in damage.
Only one other trial involves as many accused in recent history, that of the Maguindanao murder case, that stemmed from the killing of 58 people in Ampatuan town on November 23, 2009. The bail hearings for the murder trial only ended some four years after it started.
Chavez remained hopeful that the rebellion trial won't drag on as long as the Maguindanao murder trial
"This will be faster kasi iyong pre-trial stage ay detailed. So kaunti na lang ang mga issues and facts na kailangan i-prove sa court," Chavez said.
"Nag-offer sila mag-plea for lesser offense pero ayaw tanggapin ng city government of Zamboanga, since they are the private complainants," said Chavez.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/536800/news/nation/two-years-after-rebellion-zamboanga-siege-case-enters-trial-proper-stage
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