MANILA - The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) is asking a local court to allow the 38 so-called members of the Royal Sultanate Forces (RSF) to post bail on charges of violations of the election gun ban, illegal possession of firearms, and violations of Article 118 (inciting to war) of the Revised Penal Code.
The group is currently being detained at a naval facility in Panglima Sugala after having been intercepted in 3 separate incidents by the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard off the seas of Tawi-tawi. The group purportedly left Sabah to escape Malaysian authorities on the hunt for RSF members.
PAO chief Persida Acosta and several PAO lawyers are now in Tawi-tawi to file the 4-page motion before the Tawi-tawi Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 5.
In a text message to reporters, Acosta said her office is also urging the RTC to order a reinvestigation of the criminal cases before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The camp of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III had earlier asked for legal assistance for the 38 detained RSF members and hundreds of Filipinos allegedly subjected to human rights violations by Malaysian forces.
Read more:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/19/13/court-urged-grant-bail-kiram-men
