Kidnapping case vs 15 militants in Davao City dismissed

DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed for lack of evidence the kidnapping and serious illegal detention case against 15 militant leaders, who helped lumad evacuees take refuge inside the Haran compound of the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP) here early this year.

Davao City Prosecutor Nestor Ledesma approved the September 8 resolution dismissing the case filed by seven members of the Matigsalog tribe for insufficient evidence against Rev. Jurie Jaime, Sheena Duazo, Hanimay Suazo, Ryan Laniba, Tony Salubre, Jimboy Marciano, Mary Ann Sapar, Jaja Necosio, Pedro Arnado, Kerlan Fanagel, Sister Stella Matutina, Sister Restita Miles, Isidro Andao, Kharlo Manano, Riuz Valle.

“It would have been hard to conceal the kidnapping because the UCCP Haran compound is near the Bankerohan public market,” part of the resolution reads.

“Kidnapping ‘en masse’ at the heart of the city and confinement in a church compound is to say not plausible,” said the resolution, which was made public on Thursday.

“It would have been hard not to notice the forced confinement,” it added, noting that Haran was close to the public market in Bangkerohan here.

The city prosecutor also said there were no armed guards to restrict the movements of the evacuees.

The news of the dismissal came as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) was in the midst of a public inquiry into the situation of the evacuees inside the Haran compound, where some 700 Manobo lumads fled what the claimed were atrocities, harassments and killings perpetrated by soldiers and members of the paramilitary group, Alamara.