Cleared of involvement in the brutal Maguindanao massacre, former Maguindanao Governor Sajid Ampatuan has added a lifetime in prison after the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of graft and malversation of public fund charges.

In a 66-page decision released on October 18 (Friday), the anti-graft court’s Third Division sentenced Ampatuan to an indeterminate prison term of eight years to 12 years for violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The Sandiganbayan also found him guilty of malversation punishable under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code and sentence to reclusion perpetua or a maximum prison term of 40 years.

A fine of PHP393 million, representing the amount allegedly embezzled, has also been imposed on the accused.

Ampatuan is the brother of former Maguindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and Andal Ampatuan Jr. who were sentenced to life in prison in connection with the brutal massacre of 58 people, 32 of them journalists, in 2009 in the province


Their father, Andal Sr. was tagged as the mastermind of the clan-initiated political killings. He died of heart attack in jail before the court case could be concluded.



The accused is reportedly serving long prison sentences for previous graft convictions. He was found guilty of 21 counts of graft following his conviction in 2023.



Court records showed that Ampatuan and provincial Auditor Danny CAlib have been charged following a special audit of provincial government transactions conducted by the Commission on Audit in 2009.,



Then acting governor of Maguindanao, Ampatuan signed a number of memoranda of Agreement (MOA’s) with the Department of Agrarian Reform for farm-to-market road projects.



Ampatuan was granted an initial release of PHP200 million for the projects, although he sought PHP500 million.



The DAR later disbursed a total of PHP500 million which Ampatuan said was paid in cash to contractors and suppliers tasked to implement the road projects.



Liquidation reports prepared by provincial accountant John Dollasa certified that almost PHP500 had been spent for various projects aside from the road construction between June and September 2009,



Following the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre, a COA audit team led by Calib was re-assigned as government clamped down on the Ampatuan clans transactions.



A COA Special Audit Office later found widespread irregularities in the use of the DAR funds. A total of PHP393 million had been disbursed by the provincial government that ignored procurement rules. Certifications of completions were also found to be spurious as many projects were not completed.



“A review of the overwhelming documentary and testimonial evidence reveals evident bad faith on the part of accused Ampatuan,” the Sandiganbayan decision said.



The Third Division stated: “The pieces of evidence clearly show that he deliberately orchestrated fictitious payments to various contractors and suppliers for the infrastructure projects which were not implemented.”



The anti-graft court pointed out that Ampatuan is liable because he signed several MOAs with the DAR that prompted the latter to release payments for the projects, many of which were considered “ghost infrastructure”



Calib was acquitted from the charges after the Sandiganbayan noted no participation on his part in defrauding the government.