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RESPONSE TO THE EXPLOSION Police investigators cordon off the scene of the blast at the Roxas night market in Davao City in this photo taken after the September 2016 bombing. —KARLOS MANLUPIG
MANILA, Philippines – A Regional First Instance Court (RTC) in Taguig City on Tuesday convicted 11 men for the 2016 bombing at a night market in Davao City that killed 15 people and injured 69 others. .
In a 32-page consolidated decision, Judge Marivic Vitor of the 266 branch of Taguig RTC declared members of the Islamic State-linked Maute group “guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for the complex crime of multiple homicide and attempted multiple homicide. “.
After 10 p.m. on September 2, 2016, members of the Maute group detonated an improvised explosive device at the Roxas Avenue night market in the central business district of Davao City. Fifteen people, including seven masseurs and a pregnant woman, died, while at least 69 others, including students, were injured.
Seven of the attackers (TJ Macabalang, Wendel Facturan, Musali Mustapha, Jessy Vincent Original, Zack Haron López, Jackson Usi and Ausa Abdullah Mamasapano) had been arrested. His co-defendants, identified as Abubakar Zulkipli, Datu Masla Sema, Mohammad Abdul Jabbar Sema and Pendatun Coy Maruhom, were still at large and were subject to an alias order issued by Vitor.
Absolution
The order also covered another person identified only as “Jam.”
However, all the accused were acquitted of the crime of terrorism under the Human Security Law of 2007 (Republic Law No. 9372). According to the court, the prosecution did not establish the third element of terrorism: that the defendants were “prompted by the desire to coerce the government into yielding to an illegal lawsuit.”
Vitor said nothing in the testimony of Jericho de Roma, a member of the Maute group who became a prosecution witness, mentioned his purpose to bomb the Roxas night market.
High risk
“The prosecution could not prove with clear and convincing evidence that the bombing was carried out because the president is from the city of Davao, and that it was done to force the government to reduce the military forces in Basilan, which at that time was fighting against Abu Sayyaf Group ”, he said in his decision.
The court sentenced the group to life imprisonment (20 years and one day to 40 years in prison) and ordered them to jointly pay the families of each of the 15 dead victims 350,000 pesos, and each of the 69 wounded 150,000 pesos that they represent compensation. and damages.
The court took over the cases after the Supreme Court, in February 2018, granted Davao City’s request to transfer the arrest and trial, as the defendants were considered “high-risk prisoners “.
Taguig prosecutor Vincent Villena called the decision a victory for the families of the victims.
“We congratulate our trial prosecutors who tirelessly sought and secured justice for the innocent victims of the Davao explosion and the families left behind. The court of first instance has handed down justice where and to whom it belongs, ”Villena told the Inquirer.
“We hope and pray that the court decision will help ease the pain and grief of the victims’ families. We continue to pray for peace in Davao and the entire country, ”he said.
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