Government prosecutors on Wednesday formally filed rebellion charges against former Maguindanao Governor and Ampatuan clan patriarch Andal Ampatuan Sr. and 23 others before a Cotabato City court after finding probable cause to indict them for rebellion.

Acting Maguindanao Provincial Prosecutor Leo B. Dacera recommended no bail for Andal Sr., and four other clan members – suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, Datu Akmad Tato Ampatuan, Datu Anwar Ampatuan and Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan – as “heads of the rebellion.”

Government prosecutors, however, recommended a P200,000 bail for each of their 19 followers who were similarly charged.

They were identified as Kusain Akmad Sakilan, Jovel Vista Lopez, Rommy Gimba Mamay, Sammy Duyo Villanueva, Ibrahim Tukya Abdulkadir, Samil Manalao Mindo, Goldo B. Ampatuan, Amaikugao Obab Dalgan, Billy Cabaya Gabriel Jr., Abdulla Kaliangat Ampatuan, Moneb Samir Ibrahim, Umpa Ugka Yarya, Manding Abdulkadir, Dekay Idra Ulama, Kapid Gabriel Cabaya, Koka Batong Managilid, Sammy Ganda Macabuat, Duca Lendungan Amban, and Akmad Abdullah Ulilisen.

In a three-page information charging Andal Sr. and the 23 others for rebellion, prosecutors said the Ampatuan patriarch and four clan members “conspiring, confederating and cooperating with each other… commanded their followers to rise publicly and take arms against the Republic for the purpose of removing allegiance to the government.”

“The accused, by massing up armed men and organizing assemblies as a necessary means to commit the crime of rebellion, prevented public prosecutors from conducting inquest and preliminary investigations,” the information said.

The massing of armed supporters who have formed a private army to resist government troops have paralyzed the functions of the local government as employees went on mass leave out of fear of uprising, the prosecution said.

“The Regional Trial Courts in the area are not functioning, refused to accept the application for search warrants for violation of PD 1866 to authorize the search of the properties of the heads of the rebellion and that there was undue delay in the issuance of court processes despite the exigency of the situation,” the prosecutors noted in their resolution as they found enough evidence to hold Andal Sr. and the rest liable for the crime of rebellion.