ISABELA CITY, Basilan — The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2 in Isabela City has issued warrants of arrest against Hadji Muhtamad Mayor Arsina Kahing Nanoh and seven other accused over a deadly maritime attack in Basilan in May 2025 that left three people dead and two others seriously wounded.
The warrants, dated August 20, 2026, cover Criminal Case Nos. 9965 to 9970 and formally move the case into the judicial phase following the Department of Justice’s recommendation to prosecute the respondents over the election-eve shooting.
Named in the warrants are Nadz Nanoh, Walihiul Allama, Hji. Rahim Kahim, Lucman Kahing, Tudy Bayro, Sing Hassan, Arsina Kahing Nanoh, and seven individuals identified only as “John Does.”
The accused face three counts of murder, two counts of frustrated murder and one count of attempted murder arising from the May 12, 2025 attack in the waters off Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.
The court directed law enforcement officers to arrest the accused and bring them before the court for further proceedings in accordance with law.
Mayor among those ordered arrested
Mayor Nanoh is among the seven named individuals specifically identified in the warrant. The document lists her address as Tausan, Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan, while the other named respondents are associated with different communities in the municipality.
The issuance of the warrant follows the July 2, 2026 Joint Resolution of the Department of Justice Regional Prosecution Office No. XIV, which recommended the filing of criminal informations against Nanoh, her husband, relatives and associates.
The prosecution’s recommendation followed an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the predawn maritime shooting that occurred only hours before the May 12, 2025 elections.
The DOJ previously alleged that the circumstances surrounding the attack indicated a possible conspiracy among the respondents.
The prosecution’s findings included allegations concerning the boats reportedly used in the incident, the identities and relationships of individuals allegedly involved, and their connections to the mayor.
Nanoh was not alleged to have personally carried out the shooting. Rather, prosecutors previously said the evidence and circumstances could support an allegation of conspiracy involving her and the other respondents.
Three killed, two wounded
The criminal cases stem from the shooting of a pump boat carrying supporters and poll watchers of then-mayoral candidate Hadji Jamar Abdullah Mansul.
The victims were identified as Ben Bakil, Murasidol Abdurahman and Samir Jamiri Allil, who were killed in the attack.
Two others, Habir Alih and Saldi Alih, survived but sustained serious gunshot wounds.
According to the prosecution records cited in the earlier DOJ resolution, the boat was intercepted at sea by two speedboats allegedly owned or controlled by Nanoh before armed men reportedly opened fire.
The incident occurred at around 1 a.m., just hours before voters were scheduled to cast their ballots.
Mansul, whose supporters were reportedly aboard the attacked boat, later lost the mayoral race to Nanoh.
The timing of the attack and the political affiliations of the victims became significant elements in the prosecution’s assessment of the case.
Court sets bail for some charges
The warrant specifies different bail conditions depending on the offense.
For each count of frustrated murder, the court set bail at ₱200,000.
For the attempted murder charge, bail was set at ₱100,000.
The three murder charges, meanwhile, were marked not bailable in the warrant.
The court said bail, where applicable, may be posted through corporate surety, property bond, cash deposit or recognizance in accordance with the Rules of Court.
The non-bailable classification applies to the charges as specified in the warrant and does not constitute a finding of guilt against the accused.
Warrant follows DOJ prosecution recommendation
The arrest warrants represent a major development in a case that remained unresolved for more than a year after the attack.
The DOJ prosecution office issued its Joint Resolution on July 2, 2026, recommending that criminal informations be filed against Nanoh and the other respondents.
The prosecution also dismissed the complaint against Nurissa Kahing, finding insufficient evidence to positively identify her or establish her participation in the attack.
The distinction is significant because it shows that the prosecution did not recommend charges against every person initially linked to the incident.
The criminal cases were subsequently filed before the RTC in Isabela City, resulting in the issuance of the warrants on August 20.
DOJ questioned original police account
The case has also placed the conduct of law enforcement personnel under scrutiny.
In the earlier investigation, police had characterized the incident as a confrontation at sea and filed counter-complaints against surviving passengers for attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms.
Investigators had claimed that police personnel engaged the occupants of the boat after allegedly coming under fire. Authorities also reported recovering an M16 rifle from the victims’ boat.
The DOJ prosecution panel, however, rejected the complaints against the surviving passengers for lack of sufficient merit.
Forensic findings played a significant role in that determination.
According to the DOJ resolution, the deceased victims tested negative for gunshot or gunpowder residue, a finding prosecutors considered inconsistent with the claim that they had fired weapons during an alleged exchange of gunfire.
The prosecution also noted that despite three fatalities and two passengers suffering serious gunshot wounds, none of the police officers involved in the supposed encounter reportedly sustained injuries or produced medical certificates documenting injuries arising from the incident.
The DOJ subsequently referred questions concerning the conduct of the police personnel to the National Police Commission and the PNP Internal Affairs Service for administrative investigation.
That administrative proceeding is separate from the criminal cases now pending before the RTC.
Victims’ families had appealed for justice
The issuance of the warrants comes after the families of the victims appealed directly to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to help accelerate the resolution of the case.
In a July 27 letter, complainants Nurhuda Sanoh Maula-Bakil, Danna Jumdani Allil and Jocelyn B. Abdurahman, representing the families, said they had waited for more than a year for the case to move forward.
The families stressed that they were seeking accountability rather than retaliation.
“Hindi po paghihiganti ang hinihingi namin. Katarungan. Katotohanan. Pananagutan,” the families said in their appeal.
The court’s issuance of the arrest warrants now places the accused under judicial process and gives the prosecution an opportunity to present its evidence in court.
Mayor has yet to respond to warrants
As of the issuance of the warrants, Mayor Nanoh had not released a statement specifically responding to the latest court action.
She had previously denied involvement in the allegations against her.
Her camp and the other accused will have the opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s evidence and present their respective defenses as the proceedings continue.
The issuance of an arrest warrant should not be interpreted as a declaration of guilt. Under the Constitution, all accused persons remain presumed innocent unless their guilt is established in court beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecution, for its part, must prove not only that the crimes occurred but also the individual criminal participation and liability of each accused.
Case now enters critical judicial stage
The Basilan case is now entering a critical stage, with the court expected to oversee the proceedings involving the three murder charges, two frustrated murder charges and attempted murder charge.
It also carries broader implications for electoral security and accountability in the Bangsamoro region, particularly because the attack allegedly occurred only hours before an election and involved individuals reportedly connected to rival political camps.
The case has also raised questions about the use of armed personnel, the conduct of law enforcement operations and the handling of evidence in isolated maritime communities.
For the families of Bakil, Abdurahman and Allil, the warrants mark a significant step after more than a year of waiting.
For the accused, however, the legal battle is only beginning.
The ultimate question will now be decided in court: whether the prosecution can establish through admissible and credible evidence that the accused were criminally responsible for the deadly attack in the waters of Hadji Muhtamad on May 12, 2025.
Until that determination is made, the allegations remain allegations, and the accused are entitled to due process and the full protection of the presumption of innocence.