NINETY-ONE of the 94 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels who were either captured or surrendered have been transferred Friday to the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, a police official said.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief for operations Felipe Rojas, Jr. said the rebels were transferred in two batches to the penal farm from the headquarters of Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO).
The San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm, which was established on August 21, 1870, is located in the village of Talisayan.
Rojas said the first batch comprised of 24 rebels who were transferred to San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm Friday morning and the second batch of 67 persons in the afternoon.
They were transferred to the penal farm since the ZCPO do not have spacious detention facility for the rebels.
Rojas said policemen have been deployed to guard the detained MNLF rebels at the penal farm.
Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II said they have coordinated with Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila De Lima for the transfer of the rebels since the penal farm is under the administration of DOJ.
The arrangement is to transfer the minimum-risk prisoners from the penal farm to another detention facility to be able to accommodate the captured MNLF rebels, Roxas said. (Bong Garcia/Sunnex)