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Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chair Nur Misuari at the Malacañang Palace on Nov. 3, 2016. Karl Norman Alonzo, Malacanang Photo/File

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Nur Misuari

Sherrie Ann Torres

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171651796622620161103-duterte-misuari-MNIB-4-2.jpg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chair Nur Misuari at the Malacañang Palace on Nov. 3, 2016. <em>Karl Norman Alonzo, Malacanang Photo/File</em></span><em> </em></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA – The Sandiganbayan on Friday convicted Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari of graft but acquitted him for malversation of public funds. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The case stemmed from the alleged anomalous procurement of around P77 million worth of educational materials when Misuari was still governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2000 and 2001. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><p>Misuari and six others allegedly falsified public documents such as requisition and issue voucher, purchase order, and sales invoice for the transaction.</p><p>The Sandiganbayan Third Division chaired by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang found Misuari guilty of two counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.<span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Each count of graft is equivalent to six years and one month to eight years of imprisonment.</span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">But the same court acquitted Misuari and his co-accused for malversation through falsification, &quot;due to the prosecution&#x27;s failure to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.&quot;</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The 85-year old Misuari attended the court promulgation virtually. </span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Misuari’s co-accused in the case include Leovigilda Cinches, Pangalian Maniri, Sittie Aisa Usman, Alladin Usi, Nader Macagaan, and Cristeta Ramirez</span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">They were present along with their lawyers except for Cinches who, through her lawyer, appealed that she be given the ruling &quot;in absentia&quot; due to poor health. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The court allowed them to post bail pending the final resolution of the case. It also ruled that the P30,000 bond for each count of graft be doubled.</span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In an interview, Misuari’s lawyer Ma. Victoria Lim-Florido said they would appeal the conviction. </span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">She said they were &quot;very thankful&quot; that the court appreciated all their presented evidence to prove Misuari&#x27;s innocence on the malversation of public funds case.</span><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:#000000;background-color:transparent;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The acquittal on the malversation of funds case she said was more important, given that it is the root cause of the graft charges against Misuari.</span></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan on Friday convicted Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari of two counts of graft, but acquitted him for malversation of public funds.</p>

The Sandiganbayan on Friday convicted Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari of two counts of graft, but acquitted him for malversation of public funds.