|
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Police to serve arrest warrants on Marines' killers
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- A Basilan court has issued warrants of arrest for the perpetrators of the Al-Barka attack last July 10 that resulted in the killing of 14 Marine soldiers, 10 of whom were beheaded, and injuries to nine others.
The police, backed by military forces, would start serving the warrants on Tuesday, said Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. in Manila Monday.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Basilan Regional Trial Court Judge Leo Principe issued the warrants Thursday afternoon but police revealed their existence only on Monday, a day before they were set to serve them.
Principe said the cases that were filed include murder without bail and frustrated murder with P200,000 bail for each of the accused.
At least 130 of the suspects were identified but over a hundred others were named only as John Does.
Government prosecutors said they have at least 10 witnesses, including the Marine troopers who were wounded in the ambush, who were able to identify the attackers.
Basilan Police Director Sadick Macapantar said charges for multiple murders and multiple frustrated murders were filed against the accused Thursday morning.
Macapantar said most of the respondents are identified with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) while the others are affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf.
The MILF maintained it would wait for the findings of the International Monitoring Team that is investigating the July 10 incident.
Last Friday, members of government's and the MILF's Committees on Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) arrived in Basilan to conduct a separate investigation into the incident.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had ordered the suspension of punitive actions against the attackers to give way to this investigation but this lapsed Monday.
The committees investigating the ambush, however, said they were not yet finished and were asking for an extension of a few more days. (With VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (July 31, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
