Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Sandiganbayan has denied the plea by former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan seeking reconsideration of his graft and malversation charges involving the irregular purchase of food supplies worth P16.3 million in 2009.
In a five-page resolution dated July 19, the court’s Fifth Division denied Ampatuan’s motion due course, as it agreed with the prosecution that he failed to “regain” his standing in court after his nonappearance during the promulgation of the decision convicting him of graft and malversation on May 5 over the purchase of food supplies from Henry Merchandising, which turned out to be nonexistent.
He was also meted with 10- to 17-year jail time along with his former budget officer Datuali Abpi. “To repeat, the court holds that the failure of the accused to regain his standing in court rendered the judgment of conviction against him final and immutable,” the court said. —Dempsey Reyes
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