Sandiganbayan affirms conviction of ex-GSIS official who pocketed P8M worth of fraudulent claims

The Sandiganbayan affirmed the conviction of a former Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) official for malversation and graft involving P8 million worth of fraudulent claims.

The anti-graft court affirmed the ruling of the Nueva Vizcaya Regional Trial Court that found GSIS Bayombong branch manager Ana Maria Fedelis guilty of pocketing P8 million worth of proceeds from fictitious GSIS EduChild benefit claims which she created, processed and approved without authority and without the policy holders having filed such claims.

The Sandiganbayan said the P8 million benefit from GSIS Educhild, a loan facility created by the agency to help its members provide college education benefits for their children or designated beneficiaries, was credited to Fedelis’ Union Bank account “with intent to defraud policy holders.”

“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 Sandiganbayan said.

The court said Fedelis created and processed 661 claims under the EduChild policies belonging to six policy holders on various dates between February 2016 to January 2017 by 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, amending the 12 to 14 year jail time imposed by the RTC since the anti-graft court factored in the P1.16 million that Fedelis was able to return to the GSIS out of the P8 million bogus claims she obtained.

She was also sentenced to spend up to eight years in prison 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 was slapped a prison sentence of six to eight years, on top of paying P6.97 million or the amount that was malversed.

Fedelis was also ordered to pay a P6.97 million fine, with  legal interest of 6% per year starting from th finality of the  decision until full satisfaction.

She was also penalized with the perpetual special  disqualification from holding any public office.

During the proceedings, the Sandiganbayan said Fedelis admitted the P8 million worth of GSIS EduChild claims were deposited to her personal bank account.

“By her own admission, it was established that the proceeds were credited to her personal bank account and she personally withdrew the same,” the Sandiganbayan said. —RF, GMA Integrated News