Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Maguindanao gov
Apart from the conviction, the court also ordered the ex-governor to pay P22.3 million to the old provincial government of Maguindanao and permanently disqualified him from holding public office
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Sunday revealed that it has found former Maguindanao Governor Sajid Ampatuan guilty of graft and falsification of public documents by the Sandigabayan in connection with alleged P20 million worth of ghost construction projects in 2009.
The court’s Fifth Division sentenced Ampatuan to six to eight years in prison for each count of graft conviction and another two to six years for each count of falsification of public documents conviction or a total of 112 years imprisonment.
The court also ordered his arrest after he failed to appear at the decision’s promulgation on Friday.
“Considering he failed to appear in today’s promulgation, he already waived the remedies available to him. Let a warrant of arrest be issued for apprehension and serving of sentence of Datu Sajid Ampatuan,” said Associate Justice Mary Ann Corpuz-Mañalac in the 79-page decision.
Ampatuan’s lawyer Atty. Manuel Castro, meanwhile, reasoned that his client’s no show in court was due to gout.
Apart from the conviction, the court also ordered the ex-governor to pay P22.3 million to the old provincial government of Maguindanao and permanently disqualified him from holding public office.
Ampatuan’s retirement benefits were also ordered forfeited by the court.
The case stemmed from the alleged ghost projects during Ampatuan’s tenure as Maguindanao governor, involving a total of P22.364 million in anomalous infrastructure projects such as farm-tomarket roads and ghost fuel purchases from a gasoline station allegedly owned by his brother, Andal Ampatuan Jr.
The contracts — which were later discovered to be fictitious — purported to cover the provision of fuel and lubricants to various infrastructure projects.
However, Andal was acquitted of the charges because the prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Although it was established that he was the owner of Shariff Aguak Petron Station, this fact alone does not prove his participation in the alleged conspiracy,” said the court.
The former governor’s other co-accused, engineers Yahiya Kandong, Omar Camsa, Anthony Kasan, Akmad Salim and Jaypee Piang were also found guilty of falsifying public documents and sentenced to up to six years in prison.