7 accused in Davao night...

of multiple murder and multiple attempted murder.”

The court sentenced them to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua and to jointly pay damages to the families of the 15 deceased victims and 69 injured victims.

Based on the ruling, the heirs of each of the 15 deceased victims shall be paid P100,000 as civil indemnity, P100,000 as moral damages, P100,000 as exemplary damages, and P50,000 as temperate damages. Meanwhile, each of the 69 injudred victims shall be paid P50,000 as civil indemnity, P50,000 as moral damages, and P50,000 as exemplary damages.

However, all the accused were acquitted of the crime of terrorism under Section 3(f) of the Republic Act No. 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007. The RTC said the prosecution's evidence failed to establish the third element of the crime – they are “actuated by the desire to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand.”

“The prosecution failed to prove with clear and convincing evidence that the bombing was performed because the President is from Davao City and that it was done to compel the government to reduce the military forces in Basilan, who at that time, were fighting the Abu Sayyaf Group,” it said.

The ruling added that “with respect to the other accused who remained to be at large, let alias warrants of arrest be issued for their arrest.” The cases have been archived and will be revived upon the apprehension of the accused who are still at large.

In a statement, acting City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte said the city government “welcomes the conviction of individuals who perpetrated the September 2, 2016, deadly terror attack in Roxas Night Market.”

Duterte said the ruling “underscores the delivery of justice for the fatalities of the bomb attack, the survivors, their loved ones, the entire City of Davao and all the Dabawenyos who endured the impact of the said terror attack.”

“Four years after the grisly attack, we continue to mourn with the families of the victims and the survivors. Day in and day out, these families are constantly reminded of the horror brought by the bomb explosion to their lives,” he said.

Duterte added that “although the perpetrators were convicted as murderers, they would have been convicted as terrorists as well – if only the Philippines has a good anti-terror law.”