A Philippine court has handed down life sentences to 17 Islamic militants for their involvement in the mass kidnapping of tourists more than two decades ago. The militants, members of the Abu Sayyaf group, were found guilty of kidnapping 21 people, including European tourists and Asian workers, from a dive resort in Malaysia.
The Regional Trial Court in Taguig city, a suburb of the capital region, convicted two Abu Sayyaf leaders, Hilarion Santos and Redendo Dellosa, who had been listed on a United Nations terrorism blacklist. The court sentenced all 17 militants to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 30 years, according to officials from the Department of Justice in Manila.
The kidnapping took place in April 2000 when armed Abu Sayyaf militants raided the Sipadan Island dive resort in Malaysia, abducting the tourists and workers at gunpoint. The hostages included individuals from various countries, such as Germany, Finland, South Africa, Lebanon, and France, as well as Malaysians and Filipinos working at the resort.
The Abu Sayyaf group, known for its violent activities, has been engaged in Muslim separatist conflicts in the southern Philippines for many years. Both the Philippines and the United States designate Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization due to its history of bombings, kidnappings for ransom, and beheadings.
After being taken to the jungles of Sulu province in the Philippines, the hostages endured harsh conditions before most of them were released in exchange for ransom money, reportedly provided by then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The Philippine military launched operations to rescue the hostages, resulting in the capture or elimination of many Abu Sayyaf leaders and members.
One of the key figures behind the kidnapping, Ghalib Andang, was killed during a police operation in a Manila detention center in 2005. The plight of the hostages, as witnessed by journalists at the time, highlighted the terror and desperate appeals for help made by the captives while in captivity.
The convictions and sentences handed down by the Philippine court mark a significant development in bringing justice to the victims of this heinous crime and holding the perpetrators accountable for their actions.