In a significant legal development, a court in Taguig has handed down convictions to two commanders associated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for their roles in the tragic deaths of 35 police commandos during the Mamasapano incident in Maguindanao in 2015. The Department of Justice announced the verdict on Friday, marking a pivotal moment in the case.
The Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 153, in a ruling dated December 16, found Abubakar Guiaman, known as Commander Refy, and Mohammad Ali Tambako guilty on 35 counts of homicide. Each was sentenced to a maximum of 14 years in prison per count.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla celebrated the outcome as a testament to the DOJ’s unwavering commitment to justice, stating, “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.”
The incident in question occurred on January 25, 2015, when members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) attempted to execute arrest warrants in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, targeting two high-profile bomb experts linked to Jemaah Islamiyah, Zulkifli Abdhir (Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman. A firefight ensued, resulting in Marwan’s death, but it also triggered a larger conflict involving the Bangsa Moro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the MILF’s 118th Command, leading to a deadly shootout that claimed the lives of 44 SAF members, 18 MILF fighters, and 5 BIFF members.
The successful prosecution was led by a team of state lawyers including Deputy State Prosecutor Alexander Suarez, Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Rex Gingoyon, Anna Devanadera, Amanda Felipe, and Susan Azarcon, along with former Assistant State Prosecutor and current Cebu City RTC Judge Claire Pagayanan.