Sandra Cam: From whistleblower to accused, and a final apology
Sandra Cam, INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines—“Mama Ningning is a resilient single mother who raised three sons into strong, capable men – each one carrying forward her legacy of serving the Filipino people with courage and compassion.”
That’s how Sandra Cam’s son, Marco Martin Cam, remembered her after she passed away on April 10, 2025, at the age of 64. Her death marked the end of a public life shaped by whistleblowing, high-stakes political feuds, and, in later years, a surprising turn toward public contrition.
READ: Whistleblower Sandra Cam dies at 64
“Her deep value for education likewise earned her recognition as an Outstanding Asian Public Servant and Educator in the Philippines,” Marco said.
Cam first made headlines in 2005 after exposing the inner workings of the illegal “jueteng” numbers game. She went on to lead the Whistleblowers Association of the Philippines and frequently appeared in congressional hearings.
In 2017, she was appointed to the board of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) under the Duterte administration.
“Her final role in public service was as a member of the Board of Directors of the PCSO, where she devoted her remaining years to serving the poor and those in need,” Cam’s son said.
But her image as a corruption crusader was tested in 2019 when she was accused of orchestrating the murder of a Masbate town vice mayor. After nearly two years in detention, she was acquitted—and went on to publicly apologize to former senator Leila de Lima, whose imprisonment she had once supported.
Timeline: Key moments in Sandra Cam’s public life
2025
April 10 – Cam dies at age 64. Her son Marco announces her death but does not disclose the cause.
2023
- January 16 – The Manila RTC Branch 41 acquits Cam, her son Marco, and five others in the 2019 murder of Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III, citing failure of the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- January 18 – Cam publicly apologizes to De Lima, admitting that she “was used as a tool” for the imprisonment of the former justice secretary that led to her almost six years of continued detention:
“I witnessed and shared her hardships of being unjustly imprisoned. I have asked for her forgiveness and I have expressed regret over my mistakes,” she said during a press conference two days after she was acquitted of the murder of a Masbate vide mayor.
2021
- April 16 – DOJ indicts Cam, her son, and others for murder and frustrated murder over the 2019 ambush.
- April 26 – Manila court issues arrest warrants. Cam and her co-accused were denied bail in the murder case. However, the judge granted bail of P200,000 each for the frustrated murder charge.
- April 28 – Cam surrenders while confined at a hospital. She is later transferred to the PNP Custodial Center.
2020
- February – NBI files murder and frustrated murder charges against Cam and others.
2019
- October 10 – Yuson is killed in an ambush. His wife, Lalaine Yuson, accuses Cam of being behind the attack.
- October – Police arrested four suspects in the fatal shooting of Yuson. The wife of the slain Batuan, Masbate vice mayor claimed one suspect is identified as Cam’s former driver.
- March 22 – A complaint is filed at the Ombudsman alleging Cam failed to declare properties in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) for the years 2017 and 2018.
- March 25 – Malacañang announces that President Duterte will not dismiss Cam over allegations of unexplained wealth, stating that the matter is under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman.
- May 16 – Cam asks President Duterte to relieve her of her duties as PCSO board member, citing corruption issues in the agency.
2018
- Cam clashes with PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan over small town lottery (STL) operations and spending.
- March – 48 lawmakers call for Cam’s resignation. The call for resignation was prompted by Cam’s alleged “contemptuous and threatening” remarks directed at former Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. and former Rep. Danilo Suarez during separate House inquiries regarding the alleged failure of STL operations of the PCSO.
2017
- December 6 – Duterte appoints Cam to the PCSO board. She pledges to clean up illegal gambling.
“The President had given me the trust,” she said.
2016
- Cam runs for Senate under PDP–Laban but loses. She later supports congressional probes linking De Lima to the Bilibid drug trade.
2013–2015
- Cam pushes for the release of the “Napoles list,” claiming nearly 100 lawmakers were involved in the pork barrel scam. She accuses the DOJ of ignoring smaller whistleblowers.
2005
Cam testifies in Senate hearings as a “jueteng” bagwoman-turned-whistleblower, implicating top officials and drawing both praise and criticism.
A life of confrontation and contrition
Sandra Cam’s journey through Philippine politics was anything but quiet. She took on powerful figures, was embraced by one administration and prosecuted under another. In her final years, she acknowledged the harm of political weaponization, offering a rare apology to someone she once opposed.
Her legacy remains a study in contradiction — whistleblower and board member, accuser and accused, firebrand and penitent. Until the end, she remained unafraid to speak, even if it meant admitting she was wrong.
