12 alleged Maute members nabbed in Pagadian charged with rebellion

Government prosecutors have filed rebellion charges against 12 suspected members of the Maute group who were arrested at a hospital in Pagadian City last Friday.

Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes said criminal charges were filed against the 12 suspects before the Misamis Oriental Regional Trial Court.

The prosecutors elevated the case in court after conducting inquest proceedings inside Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City.

Those charged in court were Racma Macatuon Talib, Lambo Ampaso Ameril, Huwarda Macatuon Talib, Cosnia M. Talib, Sanabae Saliling Macatuon, Amerodin Capga Ameril, Yusoph Taha Halil.

Dima Ampaso Ali, Sapacan Mustapha Talib alias Sapacan Sabar Talib, Halil Saliling Ali, Mansawi Imam Gumobat and Alanoden Macatuon Dimagurong.

According to the prosecutors, the 12 individuals had connived with the ISIS-inspired Maute group who are "now actively engaged in an armed rebellion against the government."

There were supposed to have been thirteen suspects in all but one of them, identified as Junaid Ampasao Dimarogong alias Ameodin Ameril, died in the hospital while undergoing emergency treatment, Balmes said.

"The name of the person who died in transit to Cagayan de Oro is [Junaid Ampasao Dimarogong alias Ameodin Ameril]. He was supposed to be one of the respondents in the complaint," Balmes said.

"As for the exact date [of death], we can only surmise between arrest and inquest today," he added.

The 13 individuals were apprehended after the police received information that a wounded Marawi refugee, who turned out to be Dimarogong, had sought treatment at the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center.

Senior Superintendent Alan Navarro, director of the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial office, said over the weekend that two of the suspects were found positive for gunpowder residue following paraffin tests.

The military had admitted that some members of the militant groups may have already slipped out of Marawi — the site of clashes between government troops and Maute fighters accused of staging rebellion in Mindanao to establish a province for international terror group ISIS. — MDM/KVD/RSJ/BM, GMA News