Sandigan orders arrest of ex-Maguindanao governor

MANILA, Philippines — Former Maguindanao governor Sajid Islam Ampatuan has been convicted of multiple counts of graft and falsification of public documents in connection with various anomalous transactions entered into by the provincial government in 2009.

The Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division ordered the arrest of Ampatuan after he failed to attend the promulgation of the decision yesterday.

In a 79-page ruling, the court said Ampatuan was found guilty of eight counts each of graft and falsification of public documents.

He was sentenced to up to eight years in prison for each count of graft and another six years and one day for each count of falsification or a total of 112 years.

The former governor was also directed to pay the provincial government civil indemnity of P22,367,505 and a fine of P5,000 for the falsification case.

Ampatuan’s brother and co-accused former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. was acquitted.

Andal Jr. is detained at the New Bilibid Prison after he was convicted of 57 counts of murder for the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Sajid Islam was acquitted in the Maguindanao massacre case, but convicted by various Sandiganbayan divisions of graft, malversation of public funds and falsification of public documents.

He was sentenced to up to 128 years in prison in October last year for four counts each of graft and malversation.

Sajid Islam was also convicted of graft, malversation and multiple counts of falsification of public documents in 2019.

Despite the convictions, the former governor was allowed to post bail.

Sajid Islam’s counsel Manuel Castro said his client failed to attend the promulgation due to gout. Castro said they would appeal the decision and arrest order.

Sajid Islam’s co-accused Yahiya Kandong was convicted of two counts of falsification while Omar Camsa, Anthony Kasan, Akmad Salim and Jaypee Piang were convicted of one count each of the same offense.

The charges stemmed from irregularities in the implementation of eight projects, particularly the lack of public bidding for the supply of fuel requirement amounting to P22.367 million.

The decision was penned by Associate Justice Maryanne Corpus-Mañalac, with Associate Justices Rafael Lagos and Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega concurring.