Families consented to execution of 4 rape-slay suspects in Marawi City – ARMM official

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The four suspects in the rape, killing and burning of a 14-year old girl in Marawi City were executed last week with the consent of their families, a top official of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has said.

ARMM Vice-Governor Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman said he had reported to ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman that the four were executed by firing squad on August 17, by an unnamed armed Moro group near Bayang town, after the families of the suspects and the victim’s had so agreed, to prevent a rido or family feud.

Lucman also stood by the local police, saying the victim’s family did not file a complaint and that the police had to release the suspects 36 hours after their arrest.

In a report, Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, police chief for Lanao del Sur, said the suspects were arrested for questioning in a follow-up operation without warrant on a Saturday, but they could not be submitted to the court, and neither could they be detained beyond 36 hours.

The four were identified as Salman Udag Sambitory, Jabbar Rikta Macacua, Elias Kamote Pimping and Jalil Alilit Sani.

“The suspects’ families told me they agreed on it that way with the family of the victim. This is a very unique case. The two parties involved have settled, as you already know in Maranao culture, it’s too painful; it’s better that you kill several males than rape, murder and much more if a female is burned alive. I think it’s the best settlement, given the circumstances,” said Lucman.

Following their arrest on a Saturday (August 15), the four had admitted on video recording to entering and stealing valuables from the victim’s house, before raping her and choking her to death. One of them burned her body by lighting off pages of the Qur’an.

Resident Hadji Muhammad Faiz Biston, who closely followed the developments, said the execution took place before midnight of Monday (Aug. 17), but other sources of information said it took place at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday (Aug. 18).

Each of the four suspects was seen with a single bullet wound in the head, but cellular phones and cameras were strictly prohibited by the masked armed men who did the execution, said a resident, who declined to be named to “put an end to this story.”

Quoting Tello’s report, lawyer Rasol Mitmug Jr., ARMM Executive’s chief-of-staff, said the local police reported that the four were the same suspects in the killings of a college professor and a student at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, and in a previous rape case.

In his report, Tello said dangerous drugs were a menace in Lanao del Sur that the local police have reported an average of at least one incident of killing daily in the province.

Officials vowed to strongly campaign against illegal drugs in the province by providing more venues of youth development programs, like sports, alternative and vocational education and Islamic values forums, as well as leadership training seminars, said Mitmug. (Nash B. Maulana, Inquirer Mindanao)