Philippine Court Sentences 17 Militants to Life in Prison for 24-Year-Old Resort Kidnappings

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Seventeen members of a militant group linked to the Islamic State have been sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in the kidnapping of both foreign and Filipino nationals in Malaysia nearly 25 years ago, the Philippine Department of Justice announced on Monday, October 21.

In April 2000, the Islamist extremist group Abu Sayyaf seized 21 individuals at gunpoint from a resort on the Malaysian island of Sipadan.

The hostages, which included citizens from the Philippines, Finland, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, and South Africa, faced months of captivity in the jungles of Jolo, a remote area located about 955 kilometers (515 miles) south of Manila. They were ultimately released after millions of dollars in ransom were paid.

The 17 individuals were convicted on October 16 of 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom, as detailed in a 157-page court ruling. Each was sentenced to life imprisonment for every count.

“This conviction is a reflection of the unwavering efforts of the DOJ in upholding the rule of law without fear or falter,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.

Among those convicted are Hilarion Del Rosario Santos III and Redendo Cain Dellosa, both of whom are listed on the United Nations Security Council Sanctions List due to their connections with Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

They were also linked to the militant groups Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah, and the Rajah Solaiman Movement.

Although the convicted kidnappers were associated with terrorism, they could not be prosecuted under terrorism laws, as the abductions took place in 2000, prior to the enactment of such laws in the Philippines.

However, the court ordered the accused to pay 300,000 pesos ($5,228) in civil indemnity, as well as moral and exemplary damages to each of the 21 victims.