Ex-QC mayor Herbert Bautista convicted of graft by Sandiganbayan
Former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista and city administrator Aldrin Cuña have been convicted of graft over a P32 million contract for an online permitting and tracking system in 2019.
The Sandiganbayan 7th Division found the former officials guilty beyond reasonable doubt on Jan. 20.
They were sentenced to six to 10 years in prison and disqualified from holding public office.
According to a DZBB report, Bautista and Cuña's camp will file a motion for reconsideration.
Bautista's lawyer said in a statement that they were "deeply saddened" by the decision.
"We strongly believe that our client is innocent of the malicious charge against him," his camp said. "We likewise believe that the pieces of evidence of both sides do not support any finding of guilt against the former mayor."
The former officials face other pending cases in the 5th Division.
In April 2023, the Office of the Ombudsman filed two graft cases against Bautista before Sandiganbayan.
The first case was over the P32 million online permitting and tracking system, which did not have a specific appropriation ordinance enacted by the Sangguniang Panglungsod.
The two also faced another graft charge over releasing P25.3 million of public funds to install a solar power system and waterproofing works for a civic center building to Cygnet despite the company failing to secure a net metering system from Meralco.
In November 2023, Bautista, Cuña, and Geodata Solutions, Inc. CEO Alberto Morales pleaded not guilty to a graft charge over the purchase of a P16 million hospital information system.
