Court finds Maute matriarch guilty of terrorism financing

MANILA, Philippines – The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 266 in Taguig City on Wednesday, May 15, found Ominta Romato Maute, mother of the notorious Maute brothers, guilty of “terrorism financing.”

In a 39-page decision, Judge Marivic Vitor said evidence showed that Ominta, who is also known as Farhana, willfully lent her Toyota Innova with conduction sticker No. YM6499, engine number 2KDS487239, and chassis No. KUN405120908 to five known terrorists on July 29, 2016.

Those alleged terrorists were her sons Abdullah Romato Maute and Omar Khayam Romato Maut, Mahater Romato Maute, Mohammad Khayam Romato Maute, and Najib Pundug.

On June 9, 2017, the Maute matriarch was arrested in Masiu town, Lanao del Sur, alongside two relatives and seven other unidentified female companions. 

Abdullah and Omar are known leaders of the Maute Group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State or ISIS.

In 2016, the Maute Group was involved in the killing of two soldiers in Butig town, Lanao del Sur province, and the beheading of two Christian sawmill workers on behalf of ISIS. Butig is Ominta’s hometown.

After intercepting the matriarch’s vehicle during an operation on July 29, 2016, state forces found several improvised explosive devices (IED) in the matriarch’s vehicle.

“After a 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 terrorism financing,” the decision read.

Ominta’s vehicle was forfeited in favor of the government.

The court sentenced the Maute matriarch to reclusion temporal of 17 years, 4 months, and one day to reclusion perpetua, or up to 40 years imprisonment, and a fine of P500,000. – Rappler.com