Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. RAFFY LERMA/ PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has asked Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to create a special court that will handle the cases to be filed against members of the Maute terrorist group.
READ: DOJ forming panel of prosecutors to handle cases vs Maute members
In his letter made public Wednesday, Aguirre suggested that the special court be either in Visayas or Luzon.
Aguirre said both protecting the judicial proceedings as well as the safety of the prosecutors and judges should be strongly considered.
“With this in mind, justice may run its course without fear or violence and threat thereof,” Aguirre said in his letter.
READ: DOJ mulls creation of special courts for Maute members
DOJ records showed that there are 89 Maute members facing kidnapping and kidnapping with murder cases before the Malabang Regional Trial Court in Lanao Del Sur.
The same court is also handling illegal possession of improvised explosive and incendiary devices filed against four other Maute members. JPV