CA uphold conviction of Awang airport bombers
• 20:35 PM Wed Jun 15, 2016
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By:
PNA
For illustration only
MANILA (PNA) -- The Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld the conviction of several members
of the notorious Rajah Solaiman Movement in connection with the Awang Airport
bombing in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao in 2003.
In a 24-page
ruling written by Associate Justice Marie Christine Azcarraga-Jacob, the CA's
Special 16th Division denied the appeal filed by Zulkifli/Julkifli alias
Donis/Doni, Ofracio/Ahmad Faisal, Taufiq Rifqui, Feliciano Delos Reyes alias
Box and Dinno Amor Pareja alias Khaleel who sought to set aside the ruling
rendered by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 154 finding them
guilty of the crime of murder with double attempted murder.
On Feb. 20,
2003 at around 2:30 p.m., a loud explosion rocked the airport where Sgt. Nelson
Corpuz was killed while many others were injured.
Several houses
were burned and the airport's terminal building was damaged.
Investigation
showed that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device that was
placed in a white Suzuki multicab, which was parked in a restaurant that was
placed across the entrance gate of the airport.
The incident
led to the arrest of the accused as well as their conviction.
In its April
20, 2016 ruling released on Monday, the CA said that appellants were
properly convicted of the complex crime of murder with double attempted murder
and should thus be meted out a single penalty.
However, in
view of the enactment of Republic Act No. 9346, which prohibits the imposition
of death penalty, the CA said that the penalty for the crime should,
therefore, be reduced to reclusion perpetua without eligibility for
parole.
The CA also
ruled that the award of moral damages be modified and increased to Php75,000
for the heirs of Sgt. Corpuz, Haydee Bello and Luna Umpal.
Concurring with the
ruling were Associate Justices Ricardo Rosario and Ramon Paul Hernando.