MANILA – Seventeen members of an ISIS-linked militant group have been sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping foreign and Filipino nationals in Malaysia nearly 25 years ago, the Philippine Justice Department said on Oct 21.

       In April 2000, members of Islamist extremist group Abu Sayyaf kidnapped at gunpoint 21 people from a holiday resort on the Malaysian island of Sipadan in Sabah.

       The hostages endured months of captivity in the jungles of Jolo, about 955km south of Manila, until they were ransomed for millions of dollars.

       They included nationals of the Philippines, Finland, France, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia and South Africa.

       “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.

       The 17 accused were found guilty on Oct 16 of 21 counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom.

       All were sentenced to life imprisonment on each count, said the 157-page decision seen by AFP.

       Two of those convicted – Hilarion Del Rosario Santos III and Redendo Cain Dellosa – are listed on a United Nations Security Council Sanctions List. The two were tagged by the council in 2008 for their “association” with Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, and for participating in operations of ISIS-linked militant groups Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah and the Rajah Solaiman Movement, the DOJ statement said.

       The kidnappers could not be charged with terrorism since the abductions happened in 2000, before the country had such applicable laws, it added.

       The accused were also ordered to pay the 21 victims 300,000 pesos (S$6,882) for civil indemnity, moral and exemplary damages. AFP