Nur’s rebellion trial stays in Laguna

A Laguna court rejected yesterday the motion of former governor Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Minda-nao to transfer to Sulu the venue of his trial for rebellion.

Judge Norberto Geraldez of the Calamba City Regional Trial Court also said it is not up to him but the Supreme Court to decide whether the information against Misuari should be quashed.

But former assemblyman Homobono Adaza, Misuari’s lead lawyer, said he will ask the court to allow Misuari and his co-accused to post bail.

In assigning the case to Geraldez, the Supreme Court had ordered that the rebellion trial of Misuari and his six co-accused be transferred from Sulu to Laguna.

All seven of them are being tried in a specially built courthouse inside Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, the training site of the PNP Special Action Force.

Misuari and his spiritual adviser are detained in a prison bungalow inside the camp, where ousted President Joseph Estrada and his son, former San Juan mayor Jinggoy were held for a few months after their arrest more than a year ago.

Misuari’s co-accused are jailed in the Metro Manila Rehabilitation Center in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

Top police officials fetched Misuari from Malaysia early this year after Kuala Lumpur agreed to repatriate him and his six henchmen following their arrest in Sabah for illegally entering the country.

A court in Sulu had initially ordered the arrest of Misuari for his participation in an uprising of some members of the Moro National Liberation Front, who attacked several military camps in Sulu in November last year.

After the uprising failed, Misuari and six followers evaded a military dragnet and escaped by speed boat to nearby Sabah where they were stopped by Malaysian Coast Guard.

Misuari’s lawyers have repeatedly questioned before the courts the legality of his repatriation from Malaysia.