SC designates special courts to handle cases related to Marawi siege

Supreme Court facade (File photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The Supreme Court has designated special courts to handle cases to be filed against members and supporters of the local terror group Maute that attacked Marawi City.

In response to a letter dated May 29, 2017, from Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, the high court designated the Regional Trial Court in Cagayan De Oro City to try and decide all cases connected to the attack in Marawi City.

“The court resolved to direct these courts to speedily act on all prosecutions and incidents arising from the Maute Group takeover of Marawi City, complying with the Revised Guidelines on Continuous Trial and all relevant Court resolutions and issuances designed to expedite criminal prosecutions such as, but not limited to, the use of conditional examination of witnesses, depositions and interrogatories, and extended pre-trial proceedings to facilitate the trial,” the high court said.

The high court also designated the Court of Appeals in Mindanao, based in Cagayan de Oro, to hear and act on all incidents related to the violation of the Human Security Act.

The high court also ordered the court administrator to coordinate with the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, which is based at Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro, to determine the necessary security measures for the safety of the prosecutors, lawyers, and court officials and employees.

In his request, Aguirre asked the high court to designate special courts in Luzon and Visayas.

In his letter, Aguirre requested Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. Sereno to take the necessary and appropriate actions for the protection of the members of the judiciary who will eventually hear the cases to be filed against the members of the Maute Group who will be captured or who will surrender.

Aguirre said such would be necessary so that “justice may run its course without fear or violence and threat thereof.”

“In order to protect our judges and the judicial system from possible threats and acts of violence, the Department of Justice most respectfully requests that special courts in Visayas or in Luzon be designated to hear criminal cases to be filed in relation to this rebellion and other crimes which may be filed against members of the Maute Terror Group and other armed groups tagged as terrorists,” Aguirre said in a separate statement.

In a meeting with Aguirre in Mindanao, prosecutors aired their issues and concerns in prosecuting cases against members of the local terrorist group in the region.

It was pointed out that the security and safety of the prosecutors and judges should be a primary concern against any threats of intimidation or against any untoward incident.

According to the records of the Department of Justice, 89 Maute members are facing kidnapping and kidnapping with murder cases before the Malabang Regional Trial Court in Lanao Del Sur.

Four other Maute members were also charged before the same court with a case for illegal possession of improvised explosive device and incendiary devices. /atm/rga