Prosecutors probe Sulu 'massacre'

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent a panel of prosecutors to investigate the killing of seven civilians and a soldier on leave during a recent military operation in the province of Sulu, south of Zamboanga City. Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales sent the team headed by Regional State Prosecutor Jaime Umpa. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), which conducted an investigation immediately after the incident on February 4, 2008, earlier, recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against the soldiers involved in the raid in Ipil, Maimbung, Sulu. Tan said the group of prosecutors arrived last week in Jolo town and briefed him about their task in a meeting at the provincial capitol. He said Umpa assured him there would be thorough and appropriate charges that will be filed against those responsible. Of the seven civilians killed in a raid last February 4, two were children, two teenagers and a pregnant woman. The military insisted that the raid was a legitimate operation targeting the Abu Sayyaf bandits who are holding captive Jolo rice trader Ma. Rosalie Lao. Lao, 58, was freed last April 11 by Abu Sayyaf bandits operating in the hinterlands of Sulu province. However, the survivors testified in earlier investigations that soldiers opened fired on villagers as they pleaded for their life. Four of those killed were shot at sea as they fled for safety on boat. Tan said the DOJ panel of prosecutors would conduct an impartial investigation, identify the perpetrators and charge them in court. Results of the investigation conducted by a probe team of CHR regional office showed that the victims were innocent civilians and not members of the Abu Sayyaf group. The CHR investigation showed that the February 4, 2008 Barangay Ipil incident is a clear breach of human rights of the victims. But the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said in a statement that the clash ensued around 2:55 a.m. of February 4 when government troopers were armed. The Westmincom reported that two soldiers were killed while five others were wounded. Westmincom also claimed that they recovered the bodies of three slain rebels, among them is a certain Abu Muktadil. An M-16 rifle was also recovered. But the CHR probe team said such information is not true citing the identified dead Abu Sayyaf turned out to be Ipil Barangay councilman Ardisin Lahim based on the testimonies of the residents there. The CHR probe team's finding showed that there was neither the presence nor involvement of the dreaded Abu Sayyaf bandits and there was no proof that prior information of the bandits were sighted or culled in the area, before, during or after the attack. Also, there was no presence of the previous kidnap victim in another kidnapping case, in the area, before, during or after the attack, the CHR report said. Soldiers involved in the said encounter were placed under suspension pending investigation of the incident. - Sun.Star