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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan convicts ex-NLDC exec Amata, 2 others on P14.5-M PDAF

Sandiganbayan convicts ex-NLDC exec Amata, 2 others on P14.5-M PDAF

Published Oct 24, 2025 02:35 pm
The Sandiganbayan convicted former National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC) president Gondelina G. Amata, businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, and a former Senate political officer in the misuse of former senator Gregorio B. Honasan's P14.5 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2009.
Amata, Napoles, and then chief political officer Michael Lim Benjamin were found guilty of graft, malversation of public funds, and malversation through falsification of public documents in a decision promulgated on Friday, Oct. 24.
They were sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment for graft with perpetual special disqualification from holding public office and loss of all retirement benefits.
For the crime of malversation, they were sentenced to 12 to 17 years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were likewise ordered to pay a fine of P4,050,000 million and return to the government the amount of P4,050,000 with interest at six percent per annum.
For malversation through falsification, they were sentenced to 12 to 17 years imprisonment as well as pay a fine of P7.5 million. They were also ordered to pay back the government, jointly and severally, the amount of P7.5 million with interest of six percent per annum.
They were sentenced to six to 12 years imprisonment for the two other malversation thru falsification conviction, and ordered to pay fines of P1.5 million for each conviction and return P1.5 million with six percent interest per annum.
Their conviction stemmed from the misuse of Honasan's P14.5 million PDAF intended for the implementation of livelihood projects in San Agustin, Surigao del Sur in 2009.
Amata entered into a memorandum of agreement with Agri & Economic Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc. (AEPFFI) as the non-government organization (NGO) partner and implementer of the said livelihood projects.
However, Napoles’ AEPFFI was created to divert the PDAF allocations, the prosecution said.
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