The Sandiganbayan has denied the motion filed by former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Sajid Islam Uy Ampatuan to dismiss his graft and malversation charges due to the "unreasonable length of time" it took the prosecution to file the cases in court.

Ampatuan has been charged with violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code on malversation of public funds.

The charges arose from the alleged irregular implementation of the P500 million funds for farm-to-market roads in 2009.

Ampatuan said in his motion that the delay constitutes “inordinate delay and violation of his right to speedy disposition of a case,” since the alleged acts took place in 2009 when he was still governor officer-in-charge of Maguindanao and it was only in 2015 when the Field Investigation Office of the Office of the Ombudsman (FIO-OMB) finished its investigation.

He said the FIO then filed the formal complaint before the OMB on Jan. 12, 2016, and the criminal cases were filed before the Sandiganbayan only on Feb. 14, 2020.

In dismissing the motion, the Sandiganbayan said the delay incurred was justified since the prosecution had to verify all the unnamed respondents. Given the number of respondents and numerous documents involved, it took longer to resolve the complaints.

"We find that no prejudice was suffered by the accused (Ampatuan) as a result of the delay," the court said in a resolution.

"In this case, the accused-movant failed to describe with specificity the extent and character of the alleged prejudice he purportedly suffered as a result of the delay,” it also said.

The resolution was written by Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang with the concurrence of Associate Justices Bernelito R. Fernandez and Ronald B. Moreno.