13 bank robbers get life

MANILA, Philippines — Thirteen men were sentenced to life in prison for the robbery at a bank in Valenzuela City that left a police officer and a bystander dead in 2004.

Presiding Judge Lilia Mercedes Encarnacion Gepty of the Valenzuela City Regional Trial Court Branch 75 found Bunny Servilla, Joel Mendoza, Alex Adriano, Zaldy Mangalindan, Alejandro Gaudan, Reynaldo Bustamante, Benjie Adicer, Zaldy Selim, Ricky Cabatsa, Rolly Fernandez, Melvin Lacson, Chris Ablas and Nilo Ocenar guilty of robbery with homicide.

They were sentenced to life in prison without eligibility for parole and ordered to pay P350,000 in damages to the families of Police Officer 2 Victor Zabala and Baltazar de Gula, who were killed in the incident.