De Lima wants captured MNLF rebels tried in Manila for security reasons

Two hundred and twenty-nine members of the More National Liberation Front (MNLF) arrested during the recent siege on Zamboanga City will be brought to Metro Manila for security reasons, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Saturday.

“As soon as a commitment order is issued by a judge after their cases are filed, they will be transported to and detained in Bicutan,” De Lima told the Inquirer, referring to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) or Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

De Lima had earlier said that the Department of Justice would file a motion in the Supreme Court for a change of venue for the trial of the captured MNLF rebels “for security reasons.”

De Lima yesterday visited the San Ramon Penal Colony where the MNLF members are detained. The detention building was covered by a wide blue tarpaulin on all sides.

“The cover is a deterrent to possible rescue operations and escape plans because they cannot see the activities outside,” a jail guard told the Inquirer.

The guard revealed there had been an attempt to rescue the MNLF detainees but this was foiled by a military blocking force.

The MNLF rebels have relatives and supporters that could cause trouble during the trial, the guards told De Lima.

The MNLF rebels attacked Zamboanga on Sept. 9. In the ensuing three-week battle between the rebels and government troops, 244 persons were killed, thousands were wounded and over 100,000 were displaced.

The justice secretary disclosed that five of the MNLF members were minors, aged 14 to 17 and were housed in a halfway facility for youth in conflict with the law.

De Lima described her meeting with the youngsters as “heartbreaking.” The minors, who were Tausugs, touched De Lima’s hand to their foreheads before and after the brief talk.

“In the case of the minors, I have ordered prosecutors to assess the degree of their participation,” De Lima said.

One of the young combatants, who claimed he was from Jolo, told De Lima he accompanied his grandfather to Zamboanga to attend a peace rally. He said his grandfather was a member of the MNLF and was one of those killed in the gun battles.

De Lima also observed that the other MNLF members were mostly young, “probably in their 20’s.”

Aside from rebellion charges, MNLF leaders Nur Misuari and Javier Malik, who are still at large, will be charged with violating international laws applicable to noninternational armed conflicts.

Meanwhile, heavy rains flooded evacuation centers in Zamboanga City, adding more misery for thousands of people displaced by the bloody rebel siege.

Almost a month after followers of Misuari besieged Zamboanga, over 116,000 people— around one tenth of the port city’s population—are still sheltering in evacuation centers, where there is a shortage of toilets and medicine. With a report from Tarra Quismundo, AFP