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Sunday, January 19, 2025
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Sandigan affirms conviction of former GSIS executive

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The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of a former Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) official who pocketed P8 million worth of fraudulent claims.

The Nueva Vizcaya Regional Trial Court earlier found then GSIS Bayombong branch manager Ana Maria Fedelis guilty of pocketing the proceeds from fictitious GSIS EduChild claims amounting to P8 million which she created, processed and approved without authority and without the policyholders having filed such claims.

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The P8 million from GSIS Educhild was credited to Fedelis’ Union Bank account “with intent to defraud policyholders,” the antigraft court said.

The GSIS created the Educhild, a loan facility to assist its members provide college education benefits for their children or designated beneficiaries.

In its resolution, the antigraft court said: “After a judicious review of the records of these cases as well as the testimonial and pieces of documentary evidence presented, the court holds that the [Nueva Vizcaya] RTC Branch 27 is correct in ruling that the prosecution was able to prove the guilt of accused-appellant Fedelis beyond reasonable doubt.”

The court said Fedelis created and processed 661 claims under the EduChild policies belonging to six policyholders on various dates.   This,   between February 2016 to January 2017 using the ID and password of the authorized processing officer.

“Despite having been given the opportunity to rebut these allegations, she focused her defense on the bare denial of any criminal liability and anchored her defense on the fact that she did not compel the authorized processor to disclose the   latter’s ID and password,” the Sandiganbayan added.

Fedelis was sentenced to eight to 12 years in prison for malversation of public funds.

She was also sentenced to eight years of   imprisonment for her graft conviction, while her violation of the GSIS law meted her a six to 10 years long prison sentence.

For violation of Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998, Fedelis shall be imprisoned from six to eight years, on top of paying P6.97 million or the amount that was malversed.

The anti-graft court also ordered Fedelis was also ordered to pay a fine amounting to P6.97 million, with   legal interest of six percent per year starting from th finality of the   decision.

She was also barred from holding any public office perpetually.

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