CAGAYAN de Oro City’s top fiscal on Wednesday, June 7, said hearing the cases to be filed against members of the Maute Terror Group in the city would be a "security nightmare."
Acting city prosecutor Merlynn Uy said the City Prosecutor’s office (CPO) will not be able to ensure the security of all people concerned including local government employees and city residents with business at City Hall.
Cagayan de Oro does not have a separate justice facility after its Hall of Justice burned down in two years ago. The CPO, along with a number of Cagayan de Oro regional trial court (RTC) branches, are temporarily occupying some offices in the city hall compound.
"The Supreme Court would like to create a special court to try all Maute cases here in CDO (Cagayan de Oro) and I don't think the courts in CDO would be able to do that because it is not practicable as of the moment because we don't have a hall of justice," Uy said.
"Dili gyud kaya kay (We are not capable since) in the first place aha ang (where will be the) venue? Where do we hold the trial?," Uy added.
The CPO chief fears the city could become the target of terror attacks if the trial is held here.
Uy is also apprehensive that supporters and sympathizers of the Maute group would troop to the venue of the trial.
"Kung (if) within Mindanao ang trial dali ra sa mga (it’s easy for the) supporters ang pag-adto sa (to go in the) venue whereas kung (if) in another island far away mas maglisod sila (they will a hard time). Kung ing-ani man gud (If this is the case) we are just bringing the problem here in CDO," Uy said.
Uy said she supports the move of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in asking the highest court of the land to reconsider its decision to create a special court in the city or elsewhere in Mindanao.
"If ever the motion for reconsideration will be filed by the department will apply to us na in the national prosecution service so no need for us to write and express our position because they are already aware of the security risks and the limitations like here nga we don't have the physical structure for the court," Uy said.
"The original request was to create special court in Visayas or Luzon but not in Mindanao which is too close to Marawi City. We fully support the DOJ secretary like sa Mamasapano case ba nga naay special court sa Manila handling it so mas less ang risk,"Uy added.
Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao, said should the plan push through, the police would have no choice but to provide full security.
Gonda said they would closely coordinate with the military, intelligence community, local government unit and other law enforcement agency to map out a security plan.
He said the police would take into consideration the road security, court room security including close-in police detail for the judges, lawyers and fiscals.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday said he will ask the Supreme Court (SC) to reconsider its decision ordering Cagayan de Oro Regional Trial Court (RTC) to try cases to be filed against members of the Maute group during the implementation of martial law in Mindanao.
The SC, in a resolution issued on Tuesday, granted the DOJ's plea for the creation of special courts but denied its request that it be located outside Mindanao, where ongoing military operations are being held to neutralize members of lawless armed groups.
"The SC granted it but it did not grant the venue. Ngayon sabi kong ganyan, kung talagang nandun sa (if it will be in) Cagayan de Oro yan, I told my prosecutors that we are going to file for a motion for reconsideration," Aguirre told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
Aguirre said court personnel prioritizing cases against Maute would feel safer had the courts been stationed outside Mindanao. (With a report from VoxPop Philippines)
