Kidnap victims identify Abu Sayyaf captors at DOJ hearing

From GMANews (Dec 3): Kidnap victims identify Abu Sayyaf captors at DOJ hearing

Victims on Monday positively identified eight allegedly Abu Sayyaf members who were part of the group that abducted them in Patikul, Sulu in August 2002. At a hearing by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the two victims identified Jumlie Orie, Jul Ahmad Ahadi Julman, Arabi Muin Ladja, Sonny Boy Barahim, Abdulwahab Hamja, Mujibar Alih Aman, Julhasan Jaani, and Absar Mangkabang Asim as being members of the notorious group's faction under Radullan Sahiron.

One of the witnesses, "Maria," claimed she was among the six members of the Jehovah's Witnesses who were abducted in Patikul, Sulu, on August 20, 2002, while the other witness, "Juan," was abducted in another incident but was made to join Maria's group in captivity. Maria's husband was later beheaded by their captors, along with another captive Lemuel Bantolo. The victims escaped their abductors in April 2003.

The hearing was part of a reinvestigation being conducted by the DOJ after several arrested suspects in the kidnapping protested that they were arbitrarily arrested and that their names were not even in the arrest warrants. The case was already being heard by Judge Torinio Ilao Jr. of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266 when the respondents started filing several motions to insist their arrest was illegal.

The eight supposed Abu Sayyaf members denied involvement in the abduction. "Maria" claimed Aman even asked her who among his fellow Abu Sayyaf members she wanted to marry. In response, Aman said Maria was not even his "type." The two former captives said the eight were the ones who either guarded and fed them during their captivity, or transported ammunition for the armed group. The one who beheaded one of the victims was also among the eight who were positively identified. The victims also did not point to two individuals earlier arrested by authorities for allegedly both being "Kumander Black Tungkang." Of the more than 130 people accused in the kidnapping, the victims were made to identify from 21 arrested suspects.

The hearing concluded on the same day and the panel said it would resolve the reinvestigation in 60 days. Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, vice chairman of the DOJ Anti-terrorism Task Force, admitted it was "unusual" for the DOJ to take the initiative in conducting a reinveatigation. The members if the DOJ reinvestigating panel were Assistant State Prosecutors Mary Jane Sytat, Josie Christina Dugay, Marmarie Satin-Vivas, and Benito Sales.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/284785/news/nation/kidnap-victims-identify-abu-sayyaf-captors-at-doj-hearing