The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division has denied a reversal of its order to place Shariff Saydona Mustapha Mayor Sajid Islam Ampatuan, former Maguindanao governor, under him under a 90-day preventive suspension.
It junked Ampatuan’s motion for reconsideration challenging its Oct. 1 order.
Ampatuan is facing four counts of graft, four counts of malversationof public funds and 137 counts of falsification of public documents.
Earlier, the Sandigabayan held that the government evidence “if unrebutted… is sufficient to support a verdict of guilt.”
Also charged were ex-provincial accountant John Dollosa Jr., ex-treasurer Osmeña Bandila, general services office chief and bids and awards committee chairman Kasan Macapendeg, administrator Norie Unas, engineer Datu Ali Abpi, Al Haj, and engineer Landap Guinaid.
Despite Guinaid’s death after he was attacked in Cotabato City in July 2018, he was still named as co-respondent.
Prosecutors alleged that provincial government’s procurement of P72.256million worth of construction materials in 2009 for the construction and repair of public school buildings were fraudulent.
Ampatuan, in a plea, said the cases against him were “inherently and substantially defective” due to failure to grant him the opportunity to take part in a preliminary investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.
“An examination of the records would show that during the preliminary investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman afforded the respondents the opportunity to file their counter-affidavits. Among the respondents who filed their counter-affidavit was accused Ampatuan,” the anti-graft court said.
“The Court reiterates its ruling in the assailed resolution that all the requisites for suspension pendente lite have been met,” it said.