Camp Peralta, Capiz—The Peace, Law Enforcement and Development Support cluster of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict 6 filed a motion for reconsideration before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Bacolod City over the latter’s resolution releasing 31 arrested militants last week.
The motion was filed through the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
RTF-ELCAC 6 Spokesperson CPT Cenon Pancito III said their action is one of the legal remedies they can use to convince the prosecutor to reconsider the resolution dismissing the criminal charges against the 31 militants for lack of probable cause.
“Our action is within the ambit of the law. And we believe that they are still accountable based on the result of the investigation and evaluation of the law enforcement authorities,” Pancito said.
“To be guilty of the crime of illegal possession of firearms, one does not have to be in actual possession of firearm. The law does not punish physical possession alone but the possession in general, which includes not only actual physical possession but also constructive possession,” he added.
The 31 militants were among the 42 individuals detained and charged by government forces in simultaneous raids in Bacolod City on Oct. 31.
All of them were charged with illegal possession of firearms, but the City Prosecutor dismissed the criminal cases against the 31 militants, and only 11 were indicted.