The Department of Justice will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its earlier decision to hold the trial of members of the Maute terrorist group in Cagayan de Oro city because it is “dangerous’’ due to its proximity to the Lanao provinces and even Marawi City.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the SC’s decision “is not acceptable,” insisting on his earlier position that the trial of cases against the Mautes should be held either in Visayas or Luzon.
“If it will be held in Cagayan de Oro, I told my prosecutors that we are going to file a motion for reconsideration,” Aguirre said, noting that Cagayan de Oro is only three-hour drive away from Marawi where government forces are still locked in firefights with the Maute members.
According to Aguirre, the security problem is confounded by the arrest Tuesday of the Maute patriarch-Cayamura Maute.
The Justice secretary said that Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told him that Marawi prosecutors admitted they are afraid for their lives if they handle the case against the Mautes.
Aguirre said this is why he decided to form four teams composed of three prosecutors from outside of Marawi for each team to handle the cases.
“Secretary Lorenzana told me that the prosecutors of Marawi refused to do their investigation for fear of retaliation so I formed the four teams to take over the investigation and inquest proceeding,’’ Aguirre said, adding the prosecutors came from Iligan and Cagayan de Oro cities.
He added it is not farfetched that the Mautes would spring their members from jail just what they did when they attacked the Marawi jail.
Aguirre earlier asked Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to create special courts outside of Mindanao, which would handle cases against members of the Maute terrorist group. He also asked Sereno to take the necessary measures for the protection of the members of the judiciary who will hear the cases against the Maute group members who will be captured or who will surrender to the authorities.
In response, the SC designated the Cagayan de Oro RTC to handle the cases as well as for Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez to coordinate with the commanding general of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro to determine “appropriate security measures” for court personnel, prosecutors, lawyers and the accused.
The SC also designated the Court of Appeals Mindanao station also based in Cagayan de Oro as the station to hear and act on all incidents relative to the requirements of Republic Act 9372 or The Human Security Act.
The government has already ordered the apprehension of 139 members of the Maute group, Abu Sayyaf and their supporters for the crime of rebellion.
Eighty-nine Maute members are also facing kidnapping and kidnapping with murder cases before the Lanao Del Sur RTC in Malabang town.