The Philippine Department of Justice said on Monday, October 21, that 17 members of a militant group with ties to the Islamic State were given life sentences for their roles in the kidnapping of Filipino and foreign nationals in Malaysia about 25 years ago.
The Islamist extremist group Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 21 guests from a vacation resort on the Malaysian islandofSipadan in April 2000 and held them at gunpoint.
In the jungles of Jolo, a secluded regionaround 955 kilometres (515 miles) south of Manila, the hostages—who included citizens of the Philippines, Finland, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, and South Africawere held captive for months.
After millions of dollars were paid in ransom, theywere finally released.According to a 157-page court ruling seen by AFP, the 17 convicted were found guilty on October 16 of 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom, and each count carried a life sentence.
The Department of Justice said in a statement,“This conviction is a reflection of the unwavering efforts of the DOJ in upholding the rule of law without fear or falter”.
Hilarion Del Rosario Santos III and Redendo Cain Dellosa, who are on the UN SecurityCouncil Sanctions List due to their ties to Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, are among those found guilty.
The two were also connected to the Rajah Solaiman Movement, Jemaah Islamiyah, and Abu Sayyaf, three militant organisations. Even though the convicted kidnappers were connected to terrorism, they were not subject to terrorism-related charges because the kidnappings took place in 2000, before the Philippines had such legislation.
Nonetheless, the accused was sentenced by the court to provide each of the 21 victims with 300,000 pesos ($5,228) in civil indemnity, moral, and exemplary damages.
