The chief of the Cagayan de Oro City Prosecutors Office (CPO) on Thursday, June 8, said she fears for her life after she was chosen to be among a special panel of prosecutors, which will lead the inquest and preliminary investigation on cases of Maute rebellion.
Acting city prosecutor Merlynn Uy said she received the copy of the Department of Justice (DOJ) order on Tuesday, June 6, on the creation of four special panel of prosecutors that will conduct the inquest proceedings and preliminary investigations of all cases from Marawi and Lanao del Sur.
The creation of Centralized Prosecution Office for the province of Lanao del Sur and Marawi City will consist of four panels of prosecutors headed by one prosecutor per panel as chairperson.
Uy is one of the chairpersons, the others being City Prosecutor Eduardo Cueto of Iligan, Provincial Prosecutor Chuchi Azis of Misamis Oriental, and Senior State Prosecutor Lilian Doris Alejo of DOJ Manila.
Uy said each panel would have two member-prosecutors and each group will take turns in handling inquest and preliminary investigations of all criminal complaints for rebellion involving the Maute Terror Group in the entire province of Lanao del Sur and Marawi City.
"Apil ko mag-conduct sa inquest and preliminary investigation. I don't know how this came about considering nga atong prosecutors from Lanao Sur and Marawi are holding office in Iligan City and we are required to go to Iligan City to conduct the inquest," Uy said.
Uy said they would have to comply with the directive but she said it would be very difficult for her considering she holds the biggest prosecution office in Northern Mindanao where inquest cases are also piling up daily.
Uy said she is also afraid of traveling to Iligan for the inquest proceedings or preliminary investigation as this would endanger her life.
"I think prosecutors in that area have repeatedly express their fear for their lives kami diay dili pud mi mahadlok sa among kinabuhi?" Uy said.
"Naa man ang order we have no choice but we can write to the secretary of the DOJ for reconsideration but in the meantime that it is not yet revised we have to comply and we'll see about that," Uy added.
