Sandigan recommends executive clemency for ex-envoy

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has recommended executive clemency for a former Philippine ambassador to Nigeria who was sentenced to 52 years for malversation of public funds.

The Sandiganbayan First Division found Masaranga Umpa guilty of misusing the Assistance-To-Nationals Stand-by Funds totaling $80,478.80 in 2007, but the anti-graft court said the former assemblyman from Lanao del Norte should be pardoned.

The anti-graft court said on Thursday the advanced age of Umpa at 73, his long years of service to the country in different branches of government and the fact that he committed the crime because of negligence should be taken into consideration.

“The court, while it is obliged to apply the penalty provided for the offense charged, believes that it is too harsh and excessive under the circumstances, hence, pursuant to Art. 5 paragraph 2 of the Revised Penal Code, hereby recommends to the Chief Executive, through the Department of Justice, for the commutation of the penalty, if not pardon of the accused, in these cases,” read the decision penned by Associate Justice Rodolfo Ponferrada.

First Division chair Efren de la Cruz and Associate Justice Rafael Lagos concurred and directed that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima be furnished with a copy of the ruling.

The case against Umpa stemmed from the Philippine embassy to Nigeria having received $95,856.08 to cover expenses for the negotiation and repatriation of 25 Filipino seafarers who were kidnapped in Port Harcourt and Warri Delta State, Nigeria in February 2007.

After an internal audit on how the funds were actually spent, it was learned that liquidation documents for the transactions were fabricated and that several transactions or expenses, as reported by Umpa, were never availed of or were non-existent.