Misuari seeks reinvestigation of rebellion case

Detained Muslim leader Nur Misuari called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday to order a reinvestigation of the rebellion case filed against him before the Makati City regional trial court.

Through his counsel Arthur Lim, the former Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor pointed out the case filed against him along with seven other accused has been pending for five years without any preliminary investigation.

Lim argued that Misuari and the others accused — Ustadz Abuharis Usman, Omar Abdullah, Bakil Anay Harun, Johan Sawadjaan Sansibar, Gamar Bin Abdurazak, Akil Abdurahan Abdul, and Uddin Esguerra Ishmael — were charged and illegally detained.

Lim said Misuari and the other accused were denied of "their basic right" to a preliminary investigation of the charges against them.

Lim filed a motion to suspend proceedings to allow the DOJ to re-investigate the five-year-old rebellion case against the accused.

Lim cited a resolution issued by former Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong granting their request for the conduct of a preliminary investigation last January 6, 2003.

Lim filed the motion to suspend the proceedings along with another motion to allow another co-accused, Abdullah, to take a medical furlough.

Lim said Abdullah, currently detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig, is suffering from hypertension and needs to be cured of his blindness.

Makati regional trial court branch 148 Judge Sixto Marella scheduled the hearing for the motions on Feb. 6, 2005.

The court earlier allowed Misuari and another co-accused, Usman, ten days’ medical furlough.

The former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chairman has been complaining of chest pains and erratic blood pressure.

Misuari is currently being treated at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City and is expected to return to his detention area in Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna by next week.

Misuari’s hospital bills are being paid by his sympathizers and friends, according to his spokesman Jamali Abdulrakman.

"Chairman Misuari has a lot of friends who are very willing to help in paying his hospital bills," Abdulrakman said.

He declined to identify the sponsors but sources in the MNLF said an influential government official had made an initial down payment on the hospital expenses.

An executive checkup at the hospital would cost at least P41,000, excluding food expenses.

Misuari and his entourage have occupied three wards of the hospital with another room for his security.

Among his first visitors were officials from the Libyan Embassy who paid a visit last Saturday.

Security has been tight as the Quezon City Police District deployed SWAT teams and plainclothes policemen to areas around the hospital.

Abdulrakman said their stay at the hospital will depend on the test results on Misuari’s medical condition.

"We are still awaiting the results of his (Misuari’s) medical checkup (and) that will determine our stay in the hospital," he said.

Abdulrakman also denied reports that Misuari was being offered an exile to Qatar. "The report has no basis," he said.

Misuari, who signed a peace treaty for the MNLF in 1996, was charged for rebellion in 2001 after his men mounted a failed rebellion on Jolo and nearby Zamboanga City that claimed more than 100 lives.

Misuari still has about 600 armed followers on Jolo and sporadic clashes with government troops have taken place there in the past.

After his unceremonial ouster from the MNLF in 2000 and his term as ARMM governor, Misuari led a rebellion against the government with his followers.

He fled to Malaysia but was arrested there and deported. The former guerrilla leader and professor still holds influence over Muslim leaders in Mindanao. — With Perseus Echeminada