The city government will continue to oppose and reject any plea bargaining agreement that may be entered into by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) panel of prosecutors and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leaders and members, who were involved in the 21-day siege in September 2013 in this city.
City Legal Officer Jesus C. Carbon, Jr., manifested anew to the Regional Trial Court in Pasig City, the unequivocal and unwavering stand of Zamboanga City against any plea bargaining with MNLF leaders and members accused of rebellion and two counts of violations of the International Humanitarian Law in connection with the Zamboanga siege.
Carbon and six city councilors were at the court in Pasig last August 9 to attend the continuation of pre-trial proceedings of the three cases filed against the MNLF leaders and members, with Zamb oanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco as the principal complainant.
During the hearing, Carbon said, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors submitted a counter-proposal for the 138 accused MNLFs who were batched into two groups.
He said for the first batch with 89 accused, the DOJ prosecutors proposed a total penalty of three years and six months for the three cases, or one year and two months for each case.
For the second batch, consisting of 49 accused, the prosecution panel proposed a total penalty of four years, or one year and for months for each of the cases, according to Carbon.
The city legal officer explained that if the accused were allowed to serve the penalty in each of the cases, then they will all be released from prison upon pleading guilty for time already served.
“If the accused MNLFs are sentenced to serve their penalties consecutively and not simultaneously, they will be released after serving three years and six months for the first batch, and after serving four years with respect for the second batch,” bewailed Carbon.
Carbon explained that the period of their detention will be counted as part of the service of their penalties.”
“The counter-proposal of the DOJ was made without the consent of Zamboanga City and the other victims of the siege,” he stressed.
Carbon said the judge even talked with them and explained to them the advantages of just entering into a plea bargaining agreement with the accused MNLFs.
But Climaco said Zamboanga City will always oppose and reject any such agreement.
City Legal Officer Jesus C. Carbon, Jr., manifested anew to the Regional Trial Court in Pasig City, the unequivocal and unwavering stand of Zamboanga City against any plea bargaining with MNLF leaders and members accused of rebellion and two counts of violations of the International Humanitarian Law in connection with the Zamboanga siege.
Carbon and six city councilors were at the court in Pasig last August 9 to attend the continuation of pre-trial proceedings of the three cases filed against the MNLF leaders and members, with Zamb oanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco as the principal complainant.
During the hearing, Carbon said, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors submitted a counter-proposal for the 138 accused MNLFs who were batched into two groups.
He said for the first batch with 89 accused, the DOJ prosecutors proposed a total penalty of three years and six months for the three cases, or one year and two months for each case.
For the second batch, consisting of 49 accused, the prosecution panel proposed a total penalty of four years, or one year and for months for each of the cases, according to Carbon.
The city legal officer explained that if the accused were allowed to serve the penalty in each of the cases, then they will all be released from prison upon pleading guilty for time already served.
“If the accused MNLFs are sentenced to serve their penalties consecutively and not simultaneously, they will be released after serving three years and six months for the first batch, and after serving four years with respect for the second batch,” bewailed Carbon.
Carbon explained that the period of their detention will be counted as part of the service of their penalties.”
“The counter-proposal of the DOJ was made without the consent of Zamboanga City and the other victims of the siege,” he stressed.
Carbon said the judge even talked with them and explained to them the advantages of just entering into a plea bargaining agreement with the accused MNLFs.
But Climaco said Zamboanga City will always oppose and reject any such agreement.
http://www.mb.com.ph/zambo-govt-to-reject-any-plea-bargaining-deal-with-mnlf/
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