Manila - A Philippine court convicted three Muslim militants Friday in the deadly bombing of an overhead train in Manila more than eight years ago and sentenced them to more than 20 years in prison. Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Cielito Mendaro-Grulla found Mukhlis Hadji Yunus, Abdul Fatak Paute and Mamasao Naga guilty of multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.
The attack on the Light Railway Transit train in Manila's suburban district of Blumentritt was one of five near-simultaneous bombings on December 30, 2000, which killed 22 people.
More than 100 people were injured in the attacks, which also included bombings near the US embassy, at a petrol station and on a passenger bus.
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelie Fajardo said the conviction of the three Muslim militants should boost people's faith in the country's justice system.
"This serves to reinforce our faith in our justice system," she said. "Our government will make sure that justice is served, that hateful ideology never triumphs, that peace loving citizens are kept safe and that democracy continues to prosper."
"We will relentlessly pursue those who break the law, violate our human rights, threaten our democracy and those committed to spreading evil, violence and fear," she added.
Police chief Jesus Versoza welcomed the decision, saying it boosted the government's fight against terrorism.
Versoza said that he has alerted police officers in some areas in the country for possible retaliatory attacks that might be launched by Islamist militants.
"We have initiated security coverage in the court itself and also those involved in the prosecution of the case," he said. "We have also alerted some units for possible retaliatory attacks."
An Indonesian terrorist suspect was also arrested for allegedly financing the bombings, but he escaped detention. He was eventually killed in a firefight with government troops.
