Ex-ambassador gets 51 years in jail for malversation

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria to a maximum of 51 years in jail after he was found guilty of misuse of government funds in 2007.  

 

The anti-graft court also ordered ex-Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Masaranga Umpa to indemnify the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of P3.7 million in connection with three counts of malversation of public funds.

 

Records showed that in February 2007, the Philippine Embassy to Nigeria received $95,856.08 to cover expenses needed for the negotiations and repatriation of 25 Filipino seafarers who were kidnapped in Port Harcourt and Warri Delta State, Nigeria.  

 

In 2008, the DFA formed an Internal Audit Service (IAS) team to conduct special audit on certain transactions including Assistance-To-Nationals (ATN) standby funds.

 

Prosecutors presented the results of the independent verification made by the IAS team which showed that liquidation documents were fabricated and that several transactions or expenses, as reported by Umpa, were never availed of.  

 

The Sandiganbayan ruled that as head of a post and head of the negotiating team, "when accused received and had in his possession and custody the said ATN funds in both capacities, he was not only accountable for said fund but was also immediately and primarily responsible."

 

"He cannot legally pass on or transfer his accountability and primary responsibility for said ATN funds to his administrative officer and finance officer, because as head of government agency who received and entrusted with government fund, he was still accountable," the tribunal added. 

 

It also cited Umpa's "extensive background in accounting and auditing, having been an Auditor in the Commission on Audit for 12 years, these irregularities in the disbursement of the ATN funds would not have missed his attention, and he could have easily detected them."

 

Umpa served as ambassador to Nigeria from 1996 to 2008 and was a former Assemblyman of Lanao Del Norte.