A female member of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has been convicted by a Zamboanga City regional trial court (RTC) after pleading guilty to a lesser offense of violations of Republic Act No. 10168, the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
Found guilty as accessory in three counts of violations of RA 10168 was Norkisa Omar Asnalul who was sentenced to a prison term ranging from four months and one day up to one year, seven months and 10 days for each count.
Asnalul was also ordered to pay a fine of P100,000 for each count.
RTC Judge Shaldilyn B. Bangsaja ruled that that the jail term "shall be served successively, and the period of detention of the accused shall be given full credit."
Asnalul entered into a plea bargaining concession with the prosecution and her plea was allowed by the trial court.
Judge Bangsaja said “the Court finds no legal impediment to the plea-bargaining agreement entered into by the prosecution and the defense, particularly considering that the lower offense to which the accused wishes to now plead guilty is penalized under the same as that for which she is originally charged.”
Asnalul, the wife of late ASG member Ramji Asnalul, was convicted for receiving in Basilan the amounts of P8,000 on June 5, 2015, P7,956 on March 6, 2015, and P49,655 on March 6, 2015.
The court found that the money was sent by Asnalul's co-accused Myrna Alijul Mabanza, the wife of the late high-ranking ASG leader Abu Anas from Zamboanga del Sur.
Asnalul initially pleaded not guilty but filed last Feb. 29 a motion to enter a plea-bargaining agreement with the prosecution.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla lauded the prosecution in the handling of the case.
“The conviction of a member of the terrorist group more so, a financial facilitator, strengthens the government’s resolve not to give in to their unlawful demands,” said Remulla.