THE bid of former Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman to be designated as officer in charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is in peril owing to an existing criminal complaint against him filed at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters that there is still a pending petition for review in her office seeking Hataman’s indictment for the November 13, 2007, bombing at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City based on the record from the National Prosecution Service (NPS).

“The complaint against Mujiv Hataman was, after preliminary investigation, dismissed in 2008. But there’s pending petition for review which is up for resolution,” de Lima revealed 

De Lima admitted that Hataman’s chances of being appointed as OIC of ARMM would depend on the outcome of the petition for review although at present there is no legal impediment on his possible appointment.

“I don’t think so, since per the results of the preliminary investigation there’s no probable cause against him,” de Lima said.

“Of course, that is yet subject to the outcome of the petition for review. That’s why I want it immediately resolved so as to settle the matter once and for all,” she clarified.

Earlier, relatives of some of the victims of the Batasan bombing asked the DOJ to immediately resolve the case filed before it against those involved in the 2007 Batasan bombing, including Hataman.

They urged the DOJ to reverse its February 22, 2008 and April 2, 2008 resolutions which found no probable cause to indict Hataman and several others.

In a petition for review, the victims’ relatives sought for the setting aside of the resolutions dated February 22, 2008 and April 2, 2008, and instead issue a new one finding probable cause for the prosecution of  Hataman  and other respondents for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder.

Following an investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region, authorities concluded that the 2007 bombing incident inside the House of Representatives compound was an assassination attempt against Liberal Party Rep. Wahab Akbar of Basilan, one of those killed.

The DOJ has filed multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges before the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City against accused Caidar Aunal, Adham Kusain and Ikram Indama.

Subsequently, former Basilan Rep. Gerry Salapuddin, Police Officer 1 Bayan Judda, Jaharun Jamiri and Benjamin Hataman were also indicted for the same incident before the trial court.

Salapuddin has been accused of masterminding the killing of Akbar.