DAVAO CITY — A Taguig court has convicted two rebel militia commanders with links to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for their involvement in the killing of 35 police commandos during the tragic Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao province in 2015, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reported on Friday.
In a decision promulgated on December 16, the Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 153 found Abubakar Guiaman, also known as Commander Refy, and Mohammad Ali Tambako guilty of 35 counts of homicide. Both were sentenced to up to 14 years of imprisonment for each count.
“This court victory is the fruit of the DOJ’s hard work and resilience in the face of adversity through the years, never backing down against injustice to uphold the rule of law. To my fellow Filipinos, we have won,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in a statement.
The case stems from the events of January 25, 2015, when members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) conducted an operation in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, to serve warrants against two high-profile Jemaah Islamiyah-linked bomb experts: Zulkifli Abdhir, also known as Marwan, and Abdul Basit Usman.
Marwan engaged the SAF team in a firefight and was killed. However, the gunfire alerted members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the MILF 118th Command in the vicinity. This led to a fierce gun battle that resulted in heavy casualties: 44 SAF troopers, 18 MILF members, and 5 BIFF fighters lost their lives.
The conviction of Guiaman and Tambako is seen as a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the fallen SAF commandos. State prosecutors who successfully secured the convictions included Deputy State Prosecutor Alexander Suarez and Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Rex Gingoyon, Anna Devanadera, Amanda Felipe, and Susan Azarcon. Former Assistant State Prosecutor and now Cebu City RTC Judge Claire Pagayanan was also part of the original legal team.
This legal victory has brought a sense of closure to the families of the fallen commandos and reinforced the government’s commitment to justice and the rule of law. The DOJ’s persistent efforts have been widely lauded as a testament to their dedication in addressing the country’s most challenging legal battles.
Edith Z Caduaya studied Bachelor of Science in Development Communication at the University of Southern Mindanao.
The chairperson of Mindanao Independent Press Council (MIPC) Inc.
