CSO Statement: Why were these Abu Sayyaf bombers released from jail?

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Media Statement
August 12, 2013

CONDUCT AN IMMEDIATE AND IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION OVER THE RELEASE FROM DETENTION OF HIGH-VALUED ABU SAYAF BOMBERS AND KIDNAPPERS

On behalf of the bereaved families and victims of bombings and kidnappings in Mindanao and in the  interest truth and justice, the undersigned civil society organizations, human rights defenders and peace advocates strongly call for an immediate and impartial investigation over the suspicious release from detention of high-valued Abu Sayyaf inmates from the Special Intensive Care Area (SICA) of Bicutan Jail sometime in February 2013 through the alleged “facilitation” of a very powerful politician from Sulu.

While Mindanaoans are terrorized with the spate of bombings now rocking the fledgling peace in Mindanao, it is highly repulsive and mind-boggling why national agencies of government like the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), which is under the Office of the President, and the Task Force on Anti-Terrorism of the Department of Justice allowed the release of highly dangerous terrorists who made no qualms that they are involved in bombings and kidnappings.

On February 7, 2013, national print and online media outfits reported the order of the Department of Justice to release 18 suspected Abu Sayyaf men allegedly wrongfully accused of kidnapping as “There appears to be no proof of their participation in the kidnapping much less evidence of their purported membership in the Abu Sayyaf Group.”  The 18 were charged for the kidnapping and beheading of Jehovah’s Witness/Almeda Group members in 2002.  Because of the dropping of their criminal charges by the DOJ, these 18 walked to freedom on February 15, 2013.

What is shocking is that barely a month from their release from prison, four of these 18 suspects, namely Muhammad Sali Said, Robin Sahiyal, Julhamad Ahad and Mujibar Amon were presented before the Regional Trial Court of Manila-Branch 19 as witnesses of Governor Abdusakur Tan in criminal cases which he has filed against a known human rights defender from Sulu.

In open court, these men have admitted that they are bombers, kidnappers and proud active members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.  Sali Said, the star witness produced by the Governor, admitted that he was released from prison through the help of the lawyer of the governor who offered to help him “process (his) papers for release” on the condition that his group will agree to stand as false witnesses for the governor.

Why these Abu Sayyaf inmates released from prison is the biggest question that up to now the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and the Department of Justice refuse to answer.   Who repackaged these highly dangerous terrorists to fall under the legal assistance program of the NCMF and made them appear as innocent Muslims wrongly arrested due to mistaken identity?  While we are of course supportive of this type of programs as there are indeed hundreds of innocent detainees now languishing in jail, we strongly condemn the act of “inserting” into the list of innocent Muslims wrongly arrested due to mistaken identity—the names of at least four Abu Sayyaf bombers and kidnappers, namely Robin Sahiyal, Muhammad Sali Said and Julhamad Ahadi who walked to freedom last February 15, 2013.

While our young soldiers are risking their lives and limbs running after the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu, it is simply sickening to the senses and a complete mockery of justice to find our own national agencies like the NCMF and DOJ providing free legal assistance to high-valued terrorists, bombers and kidnappers?  How can we ever reconcile the use of taxpayers’ money to set free the Abu Sayyaf Group?  How can NCMF and DOJ ever miss the sea of difference between an innocent Muslim wrongly arrested due to mistaken identity and the solid intelligence dossier of these hard core terrorists?

Who placed the names of these terrorists into the list of innocent Muslims wrongly arrested due to mistaken identity?  Who made the deal so that the four ASG witnesses of the Governor will be categorized as innocent Muslims? Who closed his eyes on the glaring fact that these four are Abu Sayyaf members? Who repackaged the four terrorists to become innocent, wrongly arrested Muslims so they can qualify into the NCMF legal assistance program?

These questions demand answers from NCMF, DOJ and the Provincial Government of Sulu whose appalling modus operandi has ostensibly exposed the civilian population into such extreme level of risks from these terrorists who are now freely roaming around public places and could now be plotting the next bomb to detonate and kill our own people.

We appeal to the Philippine Senate to immediately call for an inquiry so that the NCMF, DOJ and the Vice Governor of Sulu will be able to answer for all these issues.

In the name of the victims of  bombings and other terroristic acts in Mindanao, we urge President Aquino to demonstrate the full force of the law by holding his very own agencies of government and political allies accountable to the “matuwid na daan” policy.

SIGNED:

PAT SARENAS
Chairperson
Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE)
REV. L. DANIEL PANTOJA
President
Peacebuilders Community, Inc.
SISTER MARIA ARNOLD NOEL, SPPS
Convenor
Mindanao Solidarity Network
PASTOR REU MONTECILLO
Presiding Chair
Mindanao Peoples Caucus
MAX DE MESA
Chair
Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates
GUIAMEL ALIM
Lead Convenor
Mindanao Peaceweavers
ISMAEL MAULANA
Secretary General
Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society
SALIC IBRAHIMChairperson
Reform the ARMM Now (RAN)
Advocacy on Tribal Organization Network, Inc. (ATONI)
Agong Network
AKBAYAN
Al-Ihsan Foundation
Alliance of Progressive Labor
Alternate Forum for Research in Mindanao
Alternative Center for Health and Development, Inc. (ACHDI)
Alyansa ng mga Nagkakaisang Kabataang Manggagawa (AKMA)
Apo Agbibilin, Inc.
Archdiocese Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue
Balay Integrated Rehabilitation for Total Development, Inc.  (BIRTHDEV)
Balay Rehabilitation Center
Balo-i Muslim-Christian Movement for Peace
Bangsamoro Center for Just Peace
Bangsamoro Initiatives for Services and Consultancy, Inc.
Bangsamoro Women Initiatives for Development, Inc.
Bangsamoro Youth Leaders Forum
Bantay Ceasefire
Bawgbug, Inc.
Bayug Island Fishermen Association
Bonbonon Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Bong D. Fabe, Freelance Journalist; ACCESS-ACDO
Building Alternative Rural Resource Institutions and Organizing Services (BARRIOS)
Center for Peoples Self-Determination
Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace (CSO-FP)
Civil Society Organizations of Lanao del Norte for Peace, Progress and Development
Claimants 1081
Concerned Citizens of Sulu
Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, Inc. (CBCS) - Sharief Alawi
Cotabato Council of Elders
ECOWEB, Inc.
Eden Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Fatima Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (FATODA)
Federation of Matigsalug Tribal Councils
Foundation for Integral and Holistic Community Development
Freedom from Debt Coalition
Higaonon Migsabuwa Ta Lanao, Inc. (Migsabuwa)
Hugpong Alang sa Yanong Mamumuo sa Gensan (HAYAG)
Iligan Abaca Producers Cooperative
International Solidarity Conference on Mindanao
Ittihaddun Nisa Foundation (INFO), Inc.
Kaabag Ranao, Inc. (KRI)
Kagsabuwa hu Kalinaw daw Kalamboan, Inc. (Kagsabuwa)
Kahugpungan sa Lumadnon nga Kababayen-an sa Iligan City ug Lanao del Norte (KLKICLDN)
Kahugpungan sa Mindanao
Kapamagogopa, Inc.
Kapisanan ng Maralitang Obrero (KAMAO)
Kaumpiya sa Mindanao, Inc.
Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya
Lanao Alliance for Human Rights Advocates, Inc. (LAHRA)
Lanao Educational of the Arts and Development, Inc. (LEAD)
Landcare Foundation of the Philippines
Local Initiatives for Peace and Development in Mindanao (LIPAD MINDANAO), Inc.
Lower Mandulog Farmers Cooperative
LUNA, Inc.
Mahad Multipurpose Cooperative
Maligaya Community Workers Association (MACOWA)
Malna Kapai Kapamagogopa Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Manobo Lumadnong Panaghiusa
Maranao People Development Center, Inc. (MARADECA)
Medical Action Group
Mindanao Alliance for Peace
Mindanao Alliance for Peace and Development (MAPAD)
Mindanao Commission on Women (MCW) – Area Core group
Mindanao Congress of Development NGOs and NGIs (MINCON)
Mindanao Farmers Development Center
Mindanao Legal Assistance Center, Inc.
Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions
Mindanao Peace Partners
MNLF Arakan Cooperative
Moro Women Development and Cultural Center (MWDECC), Inc.
Moro-Indigenous Peoples (IP) Kinship Council
MY PEACE
National Anti-Poverty Commission-Victims of Disasters and Calamities (NAPC-VDC) National Confederation of Transport Workers Union (NCTU)
National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) - Maguindanao Provincial Chapter
Neo Iranun Multi Sectoral Association (NIMSA), Inc.
NOORUS SALAM, Central Mindanao
One People Mindanao
Organization of Teduray and Lambangian Conference (OTLAC)
Pagungayan Ami so mga Kagnudaan Antapan ko Kamapiyaan ago Kadtatabanga (PAKAT), Inc.
Pailig Development Foundation, Inc.
Pakigdait, Inc. (Interfaith)
Panaghugpong sa mga Samohante ug Kabus sa Kabanikanhan alang sa Kausaban (PASAKA)
Panagtagbo-Mindanao
PATHJ-Mindanao
Peksalabukan Bangsa Subanen
Peoples Center for Community Development
Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches
Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PHILRIGHTS)
Plebacdad Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Radyo Natin Club – Lanao del Norte
Ranao Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Action Center, Inc. (RDRRAC)
Ranao Women and Children Rehabilitation Center (RWCRC)
Rising Star Multi-Purpose Cooperative
San Jose Integrated Social Forestry Farmers Association (SJISFFA)
San Juan Workers and Community Association (SANJUWOCA)
San Miguel Woodcraft Multi-Purpose Cooperative
Sanlakas Mindanao
SELDA Greater Davao
SIMMCARRD
Social Workers Coordinating Council (SWCC)
SOCSKSARGEN Workers Network for Grassroots Advocacy (SWN)
Suara Kalilintad
Sulu Ulama Council for Peace and Development
Sustainable Cooperation for Equitable Enterprise Development, Inc. (SUCCEED, Inc.)
Tabang Ako Siyap Ko Bangsa Iranun Saya Ko Kalilintad Ago
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
Task Force Kalilintad
Task Force Ugalingan Limbalod
Technical Assistance Center for Development of Rural and Urban Poor
Tripeople Concern for Peace and Development
Tripeople for Peace and Development
Tri-people Youth Cooperation Circle
Tulung Lupah Sug
United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD)
United Youth Philippines
Women's Initiative for Social Empowerment (WISE)
Yumang-LlidoMisa Mini Tricycle operators and Drivers Association (YULLIMMTODA)
FOR INQUIRIES, please contact:
Rose Trajano: 0906-553-1792 and (02)436-26-33
Jun Aparece: 09177015058