Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10) — The anti-graft court convicted former Maguindanao governor Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan of four counts of graft, four counts of malversation, and 126 counts of falsification of public documents.
It also found former Maguindanao provincial budget officer Dati Ali Abpi guilty of four counts of graft and malversation, and 136 counts of falsification of public documents.
In a 113-page decision released Friday, the Sandiganbayan sixth division found Ampatuan and Abpi guilty over ghost procurements for the construction of school buildings.
From February 2009 to September 2009, the provincial government made 137 transactions totaling ₱67,690,989 with four building materials suppliers for the supposed construction of schools: Andong, Ismael, Nasser, and Usman Lumberyard & Construction.
In December 2009, the Commission on Audit conducted a special audit on the provincial government and determined that the four suppliers did not exist, were without business permits, and could not be located in the province.
At the time of the purchases, Ampatuan’s signature appeared on most of the purchase orders and disbursement vouchers. Abpi, the provincial government’s budget officer and a member of its bids and awards committee, signed all but one of the 137 abstracts of bid pertaining to the purchases.
The court said they were guilty beyond reasonable doubt of malversing public funds. “The accused had to make it appear that there was some public purpose for the release of the province’s funds. Otherwise, the said funds could not have been disbursed.”
Both were ordered to pay the province of Maguindanao the amounts malversed plus 6% interest annually. Ampatuan was held liable for ₱62,182,044 and Abpi for ₱67,194,578.
Ampatuan and Abpi will also have to pay a fine of ₱5,000 per count of falsification, or ₱630,000 and ₱680,000, respectively.
Falsification of public documents has a minimum sentence of six years, graft a minimum of six years, and malversation a minimum of 17. If computed based on their respective counts, Ampatuan will face a minimum sentence of 848 years while Abpi will face a minimum 908 years.
Fellow Maguindanao provincial government officials Kasan Macapendeg, Norie Unas, and Landap Guinaid faced the same issues but died before the charges were filed.
Two other accused, John Estelito Dollosa Jr. and Osmeña Bandila, remain at large and will have cases brought against them when caught.
Earlier, Ampatuan and Abpi were similarly convicted of graft, malversation, and falsification of public documents, this time for the manufactured procurement of food products.
READ: Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Maguindanao governor Ampatuan of graft, malversation
The former governor’s brothers, Zaldy and Andal Ampatuan, were convicted of 57 counts of murder in December 2019 for the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan was acquitted.
READ: Maguindanao massacre: Andal Jr., Zaldy Ampatuan convicted; brother walks free
CNN Philippines is trying to get a response from the accused or their legal counsel.
