2 rebel leaders convicted for Mamasapano clash
A Taguig court has convicted two rebel leaders linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for their part in the 2015 Mamasapano clash, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reported on Friday.
In a decision promulgated on Dec. 16, the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 153 convicted Abubakar Guiaman, alyas Commander Refy; and Mohammad Ali Tambako for 35 counts of homicide and were sentenced to up to 14 years imprisonment for each count.
“This court victory is the fruit of the DOJ’s hard work and resilience in the face of adversity through the years, never backing down against injustice to uphold the rule of law. To my fellow Filipinos we have won,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a statement.
In Jan. 25, 2015, elements of the Philipine National Police Special Action Force entered Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, to serve warrants against two high-ranking Jemaah Islamiyah-affiliated bomb experts: Zulkifli Abdhir (also known as Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman. Marwan engaged them in a firefight and was killed.
The shooting alerted the BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) and MILF 118th Command in the area, which ultimately led to a out shootout leaving 44 SAF, 18 MILF and five BIFF members dead.
