Service of arrest warrants in Basilan resume

By Ronron
August 2, 2007

Policemen in Basilan resumed on Thursday morning serving arrest warrants against suspects behind the death of 14 Marine soldiers last July 10 in Al-Barka town following the completion of the investigation of the ceasefire committee of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) last Wednesday.

Basilan Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Salik Macapantar said a company of policemen, numbering no more than 100, backed up by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), started their operations at 5am.

Macapantar said the troops went to Al-Barka, Tipo-tipo and their adjacent towns to look for the 127 personalities identified in an arrest warrant issued last July 26 by Basilan Judge Leo Lay Principe.

The warrant stemmed from the multiple murder and frustrated multiple murder case filed by the military against the suspected perpetrators.

“We will now proceed (with the service of the warrants) until the 10th day lapses (on August 9,” Macapantar said in a phone interview yesterday.

As of 5pm, Macapantar said he has yet to receive a report about an arrest made or an armed confrontation between the arresting team and their subjects.

He said they are still using the list of 127 identified suspects since the findings of the joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) has yet to be adopted on their operations.

“Our men are checking houses, and we are also coordinating with barangay officials and local religious leaders. As you know, Al-Barka is already like a ghost town because the residents there have already fled. That’s why we are extending to other places,” said Macapantar.

He believes though that the suspects remain within Basilan island, they have not even gone far from Al-Barka.

Should the 10-day deadline lapse without them arresting their targets, Macapantar said they will apply for an alias warrant of arrest so they could continue the hunt for the suspects./DMS