De Lima says Mamasapano charges to be filed next month

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima on Thursday said they are set to file next month the criminal charges against those responsible for the Mamasapano incident.

During the budget hearing of the Department of Justice (DOJ) at the House of Representatives, De Lima briefed lawmakers that the DOJ is just waiting for the second part of its investigation before it formally files the criminal raps against those involved in the Mamasapano incident, where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) cops, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces, and five civilians were killed in a botched anti-terror raid in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

The raid was intended to hunt down international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir and his deputy Basit Usman in an MILF territory.

The first part of the DOJ investigation covered charges against 90 suspects from the MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) for the deaths of 35 police commandos.

De Lima had said the DOJ is waiting for the investigation involving suspects who killed the nine commandos from the 84th SAC, the 17 MILF rebels, and the three civilians.