MARAWI City Vice Mayor Arafat Salic will undergo preliminary investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over his alleged involvement in the 2017 Marawi siege that resulted in the death of nearly 200 persons.
Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan Parrocha, who is handling the complaint for rebellion against Salic, said the first hearing of the preliminary investigation is set on April 3, 2019.
Parrocha said Salic has already been informed of the preliminary investigation, thus, a subpoena no longer needs to be issued.
Salic was brought to the DOJ supposedly for inquest proceedings by elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on March 15, but they were rebuked by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong who said an inquest proceeding can no longer be availed of in his case.
Ong explained that an inquest is only made for a warrantless arrest, which is done if a crime is being committed, has just been committed, is about to be committed, or if the person escaped from detention.
In the case of Salic, Ong pointed out that the respondent is being accused of a crime which happened back in May 2017 when the Maute terrorist group attacked Marawi City. Thus, the DOJ deemed the case a regular filing which has to undergo preliminary investigation.
Due to this, Ong said the PNP has no right to hold Salic in detention after his arrest on March 13 in Marawi City.
Salic’s legal counsel, lawyer Mohammad Nabil Mutia, recounted that the vice mayor was supposed to report for work at the Marawi City Hall when he got arrested.
