Sajid Ampatuan sentenced to 170 years maximum jail term for graft, malversation of public funds
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 October) – Former Maguindanao vice governor Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan was sentenced by the Sandiganbayan to serve a maximum jail term of 170 years for violations of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act and for malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.
In a 162-page decision released Monday, October 10, the anti-graft court also convicted Ampatuan’s co-accused, Datu Ali Abpi, then Maguindanao provincial budget officer and a member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).
The case stemmed back in January 2009 when Sajid Ampatuan, then Maguindanao vice governor, was appointed acting governor by his father, then governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., the patriarch of the Ampatuan clan who died in 2015 due to an illness while under custody for the infamous Ampatuan Massacre on November 23, 2009, where 58 people were killed brutally, including 32 media workers.
Based on the Sandiganbayan’s records, a special audit was conducted on the utilization of funds by the Maguindanao provincial government from January 2008 to September 2009.
The special audit included the procurement of food supplies such as rice, sardines, brown sugar and dried fish amounting to almost P95.5 million from five suppliers allegedly for distribution to different barangays in the province.
The decision was issued by the Sandiganbayan First Division, penned by Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg and concurred by Associate Justices Efren dela Cruz and Arthur Malabaguio.
Sajid Ampatuan and Abpi were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt for Criminal Case Nos. SB-19-CRM-0012 to SB-19-CRM-0015 for violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. They were sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of six years and one month, as minimum, to eight years, as maximum, for each of the four counts with perpetual disqualification from public office.
In Criminal Case Nos. SB-19-CRM-0017 to SB-19-CRM-0019, the Sandiganbayan convicted the duo for malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents, and sentenced to suffer the penalties of reclusion perpetua (minimum of 20 years and maximum of 40 years) for each of the three counts. They were also ordered to pay a fine totalling P73.1 million, the amount malversed in these criminal cases.
In Criminal Case No. SB-19-CRM-0020, the court finds Sajid Ampatuan and Abpi also guilty of malversation of public funds and sentenced to a minimum jail term of 14 years and a maximum of 18 years. They were ordered to pay P6.7 million, which is equivalent to the amount malversed in said case.
The court did not render sentences to the other accused.
They are John Estelito Dollosa Jr., provincial accountant; Osmeña Bandila, provincial treasurer and member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC); Kasan Macapendeg, provincial general services officer and BAC member; Norie Unas, provincial administrator and BAC member; Engr. Landap Guinaid, acting provincial engineer and BAC member.
Sajid Ampatuan was also implicated in the 2009 Ampatuan Massacre case but was acquitted. His brothers, former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan and former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. were convicted for 57 counts of murder.
Sajid Ampatuan formerly served as mayor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha. He won the town’s vice mayoralty race during the May 9, 2022 elections.
According to a GMA News report, he attended the promulgation virtually for the malversation cases. The convict defended that his signature was forged, among others.
Ampatuan’s counsel, Glenn Nuestro, said they will appeal the verdict and asked the court to grant bail for his client’s temporary liberty. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
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