|
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Court metes death on Valentine's Day bombers
MANILA -- An Indonesian national and two Filipino terrorists who are members of the Abu Sayyaf group were meted the death penalty Friday in connection with the Valentine's Day bombing last February 14 in Makati City that killed four people and injured 60 others.
In a 45-page decision, Judge Marissa Guillen of Makati RTC Branch 60 said there is sufficient evidence to warrant the conviction of accused bomber Indonesian Rohmat Abdurrahim, tagged as a Jemaah Islamiyah leader, and his Filipino cohorts Angelo Trinidad, alias "Tapay," and Gamal Baharan, alias "Abu Khalil."
"This decision, convicting all the accused of the complex crime of multiple murder, murder, and frustrated murder, was rendered after thoroughly and painstakingly evaluating the evidence presented, the most significant of which included the voluntary pleas of accused Baharan and Trinidad (and) the clear and categorical testimony of accused turned state witness (Bannah)," Guillen said in a statement.
The accused were charged with multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder for the February 14 bombing of a passenger bus at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) and Ayala Avenue in Makati City. Almost simultaneously, explosions also ripped through the cities of Davao and General Santos that day.
The court ordered them to pay exemplary damages amounting to P1 million and indemnification of P400,000 for their victims. It also ordered the transfer of the accused to the New Bilibid Prison while awaiting their execution through legal injection.
The court gave weight to the testimony of former Abu Sayyaf trainee-turned-state witness Gappal Bannah, alias "Boy Negro", who testified against his comrades in exchange for the dropping of similar charges against him.
Bannah said Baharan and Trinidad were given the orders to carry out the plan to bomb the bus.
During the five-month trial, one of the witnesses--a bus conductor, identified Baharan and Trinidad as the passengers who left the bus in a hurry shortly before the blast, state prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said.
The Abu Sayyaf earlier claimed responsibility for the bombing in retaliation for a military offensive launched by government troops early this year.
Rohmat, a confessed member of JI, was captured in March in Mindanao, where authorities said several dozen Indonesian militants have been training local guerrillas in bomb-making and plotting attacks. He pleaded not guilty to the crimes saying he was in Mindanao at that time.
Prosecutors also charged Abu Sayyaf chiefs Khadaffy Janjalani and Abu Sulaiman for the bus bombing. The two leaders remain at large. (ECV/Sunnex)
(October 29, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Fumes bar search for trapped miners