The Department of Justice (DOJ) Task Force on Anti-Terrorism
has secured the conviction of a member of a terrorist group, its first under
Republic Act No. 9372 or the "Human Security Act of 2007."
In a two-page ruling, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court
(RTC) Branch 69 found Jun Guevarra, with aliases "Manuel Ibarra" and
"Jun Ibarra", guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violation of R.A.
No. 9372 as an accessory to the crime.
Judge Lorifel Lacap Pahimna sentenced Guevarra to suffer the
penalty of imprisonment of from 10 years and one day as minimum to 10 years to
six months as maximum and to pay each of his seven victims nominal damages
amounting to PhP30,000.
In the case filed by Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong and
Assistant State Prosecutor Gino Paolo Santiago, Guevarra and two others, who
remain at-large, were accused of causing the explosion of an MB100 Mercedez
Benz van with plate No. LDN-795 owned by Pedro Ubata Jr. at the public terminal
of Midsayap, Cotabato on May 8, 2008.
The case alleged that the three, operating under the
notorious "Al Khobar" group, committed the act to sow terror "to
coerce the local government unit of Midsayap, Cotabato to give in to an
unlawful demand of a monthly tax of PhP100,000."
R.A. No. 9372, which was signed into law on March 6, 2007,
makes "terrorism a crime against the Filipino people, against humanity,
and against the law of nations."
The DOJ also secured the conviction of five individuals
responsible for the bombing of the Awang airport in Maguindanao on Feb. 20,
2003.
In a 40-page ruling, the Pasig City RTC Branch 154 found
Zulkifli Julkifli, with aliases "Donis/Doni Ofracio" and "Ahmad
Faisal"; Taufiq Rifqi; Ismael De Vera alias "Pio"; Feliciano
Delos Reyes alias "Box" and Dinno Amor Pareja alias
"Khaleel", guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder with
double attempted murder.
Presiding Judge A.A.C. Bulauitan sentenced each of them to
suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua.
In another case, the Pasig City RTC Branch 163 convicted
three members of the Abu Muslim Group, the urban support group of the Abu
Sayyaf Group, of the complex crime of multiple murder and attempted murder for
bombing the Filmart Shopping Center in General Santos City on April 21, 2002.
Twelve persons died while 46 others were injured due to the
incident.
In a 28-page ruling, Judge Leili Cruz Suarez sentenced Ahmad
Jekeron, with aliases "Jay-ar Jekeron" and "Abu Muslim";
Ustadz Yacob Basug alias "Usman" and Danny Ofresio alias "Jul
Kifli" to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua.
They were also ordered to pay jointly and severally each of
the heirs of the fatalities a total of PhP180,000 in civil indemnity and
damages and a total of PhP95,000 in damages to Christopher Delas Alas, the only
injured victim who presented evidence during the trial.
"It is the duty of the State to protect life, liberty
and property from acts of terrorism. The conviction of the leaders and members
of the terrorist organizations strengthens the government's position not to
give in to terrorists' unlawful demands while ensuring the safety of the
public," DOJ Secretary Leila M. De Lima said on Wednesday.
"While the government scored victory in all these three
prominent cases, it is appropriate to recognize the prosecutors who worked hard
to hurdle the legal battle. I congratulate Ong, Santiago
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=783045
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