The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC) President Gondelina G. Amata and chief political officer Michael Lim Benjamin for their involvement in the misuse of former senator Gregorio B. Honasan's P14.5 million priority development assistance fund (PDAF) in 2009.

In a resolution issued last Dec. 10, the anti-graft court junked for lack of merit the motions for reconsideration filed by Amata and Benjamin to reverse the Oct. 24, 2025 decision of the court.

In his motion, Benjamin argued that the prosecution's evidence failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he participated in the conspiracy to commit the crimes charged, and he said his signature in the liquidation documents are insufficient proof of a conspiracy.

Amata, on the other hand, claimed that the prosecution failed to prove conspiracy between and among the accused, and there was no competent evidence showing manifest partiality on her part.

In denying their motions, the anti-graft court ruled that their arguments are nothing more than "mere reiterations of the issues already passed upon by the court in the assailed Decision."

"In sum, as correctly pointed out by the prosecution... there is such a cohesion and interconnection in all the actions of the accused Benjamin and Amata that it cannot be doubted that they acted towards the attainment of the same end," the court also said.

It added: "Here, aside from the mere assertion that his signatures on the liquidation documents were forged, Benjamin failed to offer in evidence additional witnesses and documents, in the form of signature specimens, which could have aided the court in the determination of forgery."

The 13-page resolution was written by Third Division Chairperson Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno with the concurrence of Associate Justices Kevin Narce B. Vivero and Edgardo M. Caldona.

Amata and Benjamin, together with businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, 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 malversation through falsification of public documents, 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 also sentenced to six to 12 years imprisonment for the two other malversation cases, and ordered to pay fines of P1.5 million for each conviction and return P1.5 million with six percent 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 controlled AEPFFI, which the prosecution said was created to divert PDAF allocations of politicians.