Rights worker nabbed for ’09 slay plot vs Sulu gov

DAVAO CITY—Former Jolo Councilor Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie was arrested by police and military agents from his house in Barangay Mintal here before dawn Saturday.

Tulawie, a human rights activist, had been ordered arrested by a Sulu regional trial court in connection with the 2009 assassination attempt on Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan.

Tan narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded just outside the provincial capitol in Patikul town as his car passed by but 12 others were injured in the attack.

Tulawie had repeatedly denied a role in the assassination attempt on Tan, saying the charges brought up against him were politically motivated.

Tulawie had openly criticized Tan for his peace and order policy, which he said, had resulted in massive human rights violations in Sulu.

But two suspects, Juhan Alihuddin and Muhammad Sulayman Muin, had testified that Tulawie masterminded the explosion, according to Ricardo Cabaron, Western Mindanao state prosecutor.

Claiming political persecution, Tulawie fled Sulu last year but pledged to face the charges as long as the hearings were held outside the province.

Carlo Cleofe, also a human rights activist based here, said police and military men in full battle gear broke into the house where Tulawie and his two sons were sleeping and arrested Tulawie.

Tulawie, he said, did not resist arrest.

He was first brought to the Talomo police station and later to Camp Catitipan, Cleofe said.

He the Mindanao People’s Caucus was set to question the arrest warrant. Germelina Lacorte, Dennis Jay Santos and Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao