MANILA — ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said Tuesday that the ruling of a Tagum City court in Davao del Norte convicting her and 12 others of child abuse over their "rescue" of Lumad students nearly 6 years ago was not yet final.

The case stemmed from a 2018 incident in Talaingod where they were accused of abducting 14 Lumad minors who were students of the Salugpungan Ta Tanu Ingkanogan Community Learning Center, Inc.

But Bayan Muna however said the incident was a "rescue mission" following a supposed military harassment.

READ: Court convicts Rep. Castro, Satur Ocampo in child abuse case

Castro told ANC that they can still seek relief from higher courts such as the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court regarding the conviction, which they have called "wrongful." 

She said they can file a motion for appeal before the Court of Appeals within 15 days after receiving the Tagum court's decision.

"I don't know yet if we will still file a motion for reconsideration [at] the court but I think this more on our counsel's decision," she said.

"As we know the decision is not yet final we still have the CA and Supreme Court. Not until the case is final ay wala pa talaga itong final conviction (the conviction is also not yet final)."

Castro and her co-accused former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said in a statement the court ignored the testimonies regarding the continued "harassment" of Lumad schools by military and paramilitary forces and the "danger" that the students faced.

They also said that their mere presence on the highway where they met the teachers and the children was insufficient to establish a conspiracy.

"The persons who are actually responsible for the forcible closure of the schools as well as the threats and harassment have never been investigated," they said.

National Security Adviser Sec. Eduardo Año meanwhile lauded the court's decision against the leftist leaders.

"[N]o one is above the law. It doesn't matter if you are prominent in society, the law is the law and one has to be accountable for one's actions," Año said in a statement. 

The court acquitted Pastor Edgar Ugal, Rev. Ryan Magpayo, Eller Ordeniza, and Rev. Jurie Jaime for the failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.