The Philippine Department of Justice announced on Monday, October 21, that seventeen members of an Islamic State-linked militant group have been sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the kidnapping of foreign and Filipino nationals in Malaysia nearly 25 years ago.
In April 2000, the Islamist extremist group Abu Sayyaf abducted 21 people at gunpoint from a holiday resort on the Malaysian island of Sipadan.
The hostages, who included nationals from the Philippines, Finland, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, and South Africa, endured months of captivity in the remote jungles of Jolo, about 955 kilometers south of Manila. They were eventually released after millions of dollars in ransom were paid.
On October 16, the 17 convicted individuals were found guilty of 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom. Each was sentenced to life imprisonment for each count.
The Department of Justice hailed the conviction as a reflection of its unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law.
Among those convicted are Hilarion Del Rosario Santos III and Redendo Cain Dellosa, both listed on the United Nations Security Council Sanctions List for their association with Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. The pair were also linked to militant groups Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah, and the Rajah Solaiman Movement.
While the convicted kidnappers were linked to terrorism, they could not be charged under terrorism laws as the abductions occurred before such laws were enacted in the Philippines. However, the court ordered the accused to pay 300,000 pesos ($5,228) in civil indemnity, moral, and exemplary damages to each of the 21 victims.
