Philippine court convicts 3 militants for 2000 Manila bombings

Three men, including one of the Philippines’ top terrorist suspects have been sentenced to life in prison for a Manila bombing that killed 11 people in an attack that revealed close co-ordination among militants across the region.

Five bombings on December 30, 2000 left a total of 22 dead and about 100 wounded, but the court found the three men guilty of only the main attack on a train station.

The ringleader, Saiffulah “Moklis” Yunos, was described by prosecutors as an explosives expert and self-confessed member of the main Muslim separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The two others convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole were Abdul Patak Paute and Mamasakul Naga.

The judge said he rejected their denials and alibis because they were positively identified by witnesses.

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