The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday announced that Taguig City regional trial court (RTC) has sentenced Ominta Romato Maute, the matriarch of the Maute family in Marawi City, to up to 40 years of imprisonment for terrorism financing.
In a 39-page decision, Taguig RTC Branch 266 found Maute guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 4 of the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
The Taguig City court sentenced her to suffer the penalty of imprisonment from 17 years, four months, and one day to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment.
The court also ordered Maute to pay a fine of P500,000. She was arrested with suspected Maute Group members in June, 2017 in Lanao del Sur.
“After judicious review of the records and evidence of this case, the Court finds that the prosecution was able to prove the elements of the crime of financing,” the court ruled.
In a statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla found the conviction to be a “big win,” saying that the government would never let terrorism prevail.
“This conviction exhibits our nation’s unity and resilience to fight the evils lurking in our society,” Remulla said.
“I am very proud of our DOJ family, particularly the Counter-Terrorism and Terrorism Financing Task Force I, for overcoming the odds and risking their lives to safeguard peace and order,” he added in a statement.
According to the court, for Maute to be convicted, the prosecution had to prove that she provided a property that was made available to carry out any terrorist act by a terrorist group or an individual terrorist.
In its ruling, the RTC noted that a vehicle registered under Maute’s name was found with an improvised explosive device (IED) after it was abandoned at a checkpoint.
“Clearly, were it not for the checkpoint conducted at Barangay Mapandi near the center of Marawi City, and for the timely interception of the Toyota Innova containing an IED, an act of terrorism would have surely been consummated,” the court said.
The court said the vehicle will be forfeited in favor of the government.
Ominta Maute is the mother of Omar and Abdullah Maute, who she confessed in her testimony established the ISIS-inspired Maute group. Five of her other sons would also join the organization.
The terrorist group stormed Marawi City on May 23, 2017, triggering a five-month battle, which resulted in over a thousand deaths and left the city in ruins.
Omar and Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon were declared dead in October 2017 during the Marawi siege. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) earlier said that Abdullah and others were killed in an earlier airstrike. The AFP said the other Maute brothers have died in clashes against authorities.
