Cotabato puts up bounty for 3 members of clan accused of rape, sodomy

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines – The Cotabato provincial government has earmarked P100,000 as bounty to those who could give vital information as to the whereabouts of three members of a powerful Moro clan in Maguindanao accused of rape. Cotabato Gov. Jesus Sacdalan has approved on Tuesday the release of the money after a request made by his vice-governor, Manny Pinol, who chairs the province’s Anti-Drug and Anti-Crime Task Force. The bounty came six days after the local court issued warrants for the arrest of Datu Andy Montawal, president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC) in Poblacion in Datu Montawal, Maguindanao; his son, Jerome, and niece Erica Bianca Montawal Enanoria. Datu Andy is son of Datu Montawal town mayor Bai Annie Montawal and former Pagalungan mayor Dyanggo Montawal. The three members of the powerful Montawal clan in Maguindanao are all accused of rape under criminal case number 08-64, which is non-bailable, and sodomy under criminal case number 08-63, which is bailable. The incident, court records showed, took place on February 25, 2008. In her testimony, Angeline, not her real name and a first year Human Resource and Management student of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), said Enanoria took her by force from her boarding house at the university campus in Kabacan on the night of February on board a red pick-up driven by Jerome and brought her to a lodging house where Datu Andy allegedly sodomized and raped her. The Justice for Angeline Movement, a multi-sectoral group in North Cotabato organized sometime March, has expressed optimism the issuance of the warrants would lead to the immediate arrest of the suspects and the attainment of justice for Angeline. “Let this be a reminder and [at the same time] a warning that justice is within the reach of everybody. In North Cotabato, no one is above the law and that everyone is equal before the bars of justice – the rich and the poor, the weak and the mighty," said Pinol, chair of the provincial board. Pinol and the board had also urged Datu Montawal mayor Bai Annie to facilitate the surrender of her son Datu Andy and her two grandchildren. “We have shown to the Montawals our respect for the law by going through the legal process, however, long it took us in getting the warrants issued by the court. We will appeal to the Montawal clan to show their respect for the law and our institution by allowing the justice system to determine the guilt or the innocence of the accused," said Pinol. - GMANews.TV