The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to file in court until Friday this week criminal charges against 11 suspected New People’s Army (NPA) members who allegedly attacked government troops in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro last year.
Prosecutor General Benedicto A. Malcontento on Wednesday, Jan. 10, said the DOJ will file violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act under Republic Act No. 11479 against the suspects.
To be charged were Jovito Marquez, Antonio Baculo, Sonny Rogelio, Veginia Terrobias, Lena Gumpad, Job Abednego David, Jessie M. Almoguera, Reina Grace, Bethro Erardo Zapra Jr., Daisylyn Castillo Malucon, and Yvaan Copuz Zuniga.
“None of them has yet been arrested,” Malcontento said.
The complaint against the suspects was filed by the Philippine Army (PA) after the alleged ambush on May 30, 2023 in Barangay Malisbong in Sablayan town.
In an earlier statement, the DOJ had said that "this attack, which resulted in no casualties among the army personnel, has been characterized by investigating prosecutors as an act of terrorism."
“The intent behind the ambush was deemed to cause death, serious injury, and to instill a widespread atmosphere of fear, thereby destabilizing the fundamental political, economic, and social structures of the Philippines,” the DOJ had also said.
The PA had said that its troops "recovered three M16 rifles, 13 magazines, one fragmentary hand grenade, an anti-vehicle mine, five improvised hand grenades, 50 meters wire, a detonating cord, four burlap, four bandoliers, and four backpacks with personal belongings."