The Sandiganbayan convicted former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Sajid Islam U. Ampatuan of eight counts each of graft and falsification of public documents on P20 million non-existent road projects when he was the province’s chief executive.
For each count of graft conviction, Ampatuan was sentenced to a prison term ranging from six to eight years. For falsification, he was meted out jail terms ranging from two to six years.
He was ordered to pay the Maguindanao provincial government P22 million for indemnity and was fined P5,000 for each count of falsification.
Since Ampatuan failed to attend the promulgation of the decision on Friday, Jan. 13, the Sandiganbayan ordered his arrest.
"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," Associate Justice Mary Ann Corpuz-Mañalac ordered after the promulgation of the decision.
Also convicted of falsification of public documents were Engineers Yahiya Kandong, Omar Camsa, Anthony Kasan, Akmad Salim and Jaypee Piang. Only Kandong was convicted on two counts, while the other engineers were found guilty in only one count.
The convicted engineers were sentenced to a prison term ranging from two to six years and were ordered to pay a fine of P5,000 for each count.
Ampatuan’s brother, Andal “Datu Unsay” Uy Ampatuan Jr., was acquitted of the criminal charges for failure of the prosecution to prove his guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
A copy of the decision was not available as of posting.
Atty. Manuel Castro, Ampatuan’s lawyer, said his client failed to attend the promulgation of the decision because of “gout.” Castro said Ampatuan is in Maguindanao.
The lawyer said he will file the needed motion to reconsider the arrest order and the conviction.
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