FORMER Maguindanao governor Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan over charges of graft and malversation of public funds.
Ampatuan was also perpetually disqualified to hold public office after he was found guilty by the Sandiganbayan 1st Division for four counts each of graft and malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.
His co-accused, Datu Ali Abpi, the former Maguindanao provincial budget officer and member of the province's Bids and Awards Committee, was also found guilty of five counts of graft and five counts of malversation of public funds and sentenced to life imprisonment and perpetually disqualified to hold public office.
The court also ordered the two to pay a total of P79.75 million, the same amount they illegally amassed.
The court said the two officials made it appear that over P79 million worth of public funds were used to purchase rice, sardines, brown sugar, and dried fish from various suppliers.
Based on investigation conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman, no such purchases took place and the suppliers, such as the H&S Merchandise, Nestor Merchandise, N&S Merchandise, and Isulan General Merchandise, were fake and have no record of registration before the Department of Trade and Industry, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Business Permits and Licensing Section of Isulan, Maguindanao.
Ampatuan, in his defense, said his signatures attached to the fictitious documents were forged, noting also that he was out of the country during the dates when the purchases were made.
"Pieces of evidence have proven beyond doubt that said accused deliberately and maliciously orchestrated the simulated purchases from fictitious suppliers in order to divert public funds for their benefit," read the decision penned by Associate Justice Geraldine Econg, with the concurrence of Division Chairperson Efren Dela Cruz and Associate Justice Arthur Malabaguio.
“We are not persuaded...Without clear, positive, and convincing evidence, there is, therefore, no basis to declare the signatures of accused Ampatuan on the subject documents as forgeries. Accused Ampatuan cannot evade culpability by the simple expedient of denying his signatures on the disputed documents,” it added.
During the promulgation of the case, where Ampatuan attended virtually, his legal counsel, Glenn Nuestro, said they will file a motion for reconsideration over the multiple convictions and moved to post a bail for the accused's continued provisional liberty.
The prosecutors, for their part, moved to double the cash bail bond, which is currently at P580,000, of which the court has agreed.
Ampatuan was the brother of Andal and Zaldy, also former government officials who were convicted over the Maguindanao massacre that claimed 58 lives.
Ampatuan was also a co-accused in the murder charges but was acquitted. (SunStar Philippines)