THE Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) has convicted 66 members and leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) for taking hostage 52 persons in Basilan in 2000, the Department of Justice (DoJ) said.
Senior State Prosecutor Prosecutor Peter Ong said his office received on Friday the decision of the Pasig City RTC Branch 261 against the ASG members involved in the March 20, 2000 incident in Barangay Sinangkapan in Tuburan town, Basilan.
Among the defendants in the case were slain ASG leaders Khadaffy Janjalani, Aldam Tilao alias Abu Sabaya, and Isnilon Hapilon.
Hector Janjalni, who is currently detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, is also one of the accused, but the RTC did not indicate if he was convicted.
Ong said the RTC will have another promulgation after Christmas regarding the same incident.
In a 390-page decision, the court sentenced the accused “to suffer the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua without the possibility of parole.”
They court also ordered each of the accused to jointly and severally pay “each of the offended parties of their respective heirs the amounts of P75,000.00 as civil indemnity ex delicto, P75,000.00 as moral damages, and P30,000.00 as exemplary damages.”
Of the convicted, 29 were found guilty in all 52 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.
The RTC also listed one ASG member who is convicted for 44 counts; 10 for 41 counts; 12 for 18 counts; 11 for seven counts; and one for 11 counts.
On the other hand, the court also acquitted 20 persons of all 52 counts of the offense. (Jeffrey Damicog)
