3 meted life for beheading of Marines

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Three “lost command” rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were sentenced to life imprisonment for the ambush and beheading of Marines more than two years ago in Basilan.

Convicted were Amirullah Kallitut alias Amil Mandicung, Salim Mas-ud, and Jemar Tarang. A fourth accused, Aramil Sulayman, was acquitted.

Basilan Judge Leo Jay Principe also meted the three convicts with 12 to 20 years in jail for frustrated murder after finding them guilty in the July 10, 2007 ambush in Al-Barka town where 14 Marines were killed, 10 of them beheaded, and 12 others wounded.

The convicts were among the 31 detainees who were rescued by their comrades from the Basilan provincial jail last Dec. 13.