3 suspected Maute members charged with rebellion

The Coast Guard arrested Farida Pangumping Romato (center), her brother Aljadid Pangumping Romato (right), and Farida’s alleged boyfriend Abdul Rahman Dimacuta (left) at the Iloilo port on Sunday (June 18, 2017) for alleged ties to the Maute group (Photo from the Facebook page of the Philippine Coast Guard)

The Department of Justice has filed before the Cagayan De Oro Regional Trial Court a rebellion case against three suspected members of the Maute terrorist group arrested in Iloilo last Sunday.

Based on the amended information made public Friday, charged with rebellion are Aljadid Pangompig Romato alias Hadid, Faridah Pangompig Romato alias Faridah Serad and Abdulrahman D. Serad alias Serad, Abdul Raman Dimakuta.

The three were arrested Sunday while on board a 2Go vessel at the port of Iloilo reportedly bound for Manila.

Authorities confiscated two pieces of non-electric blastin caps, 3.5 meters of detonating cords and 1.5 meters time fuse and components of improvised explosive device (IED).

The suspects underwent an inquest proceeding Thursday.

Two panels of prosecutors had been created by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to handle the cases against members of the Maute group.