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Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista. Photo from Herbert “Bistek” Bautista/FACEBOOK
MANILA, Philippines — Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has been found guilty of graft by the Sandiganbayan.
This pertains to a P32 million contract for the purchase of an online processing system of the city’s occupational permitting and tracking system in 2019 without the city council’s approval.
Article continues after this advertisementFormer City Administrator Aldrin Cuña was likewise found guilty by the anti-graft court’s Special Seventh Division, based on a decision released on Monday.
FEATURED STORIES NEWSINFO Sandigan finds former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista guilty of graft NEWSINFO Marcos denies 'blank' GAA items, says Duterte 'lying' NEWSINFO Baguio records first mpox case“WHEREFORE, judgment is rendered finding accused HERBERT CONSTANTINE MACLANG BAUTISTA and ALDRIN CHIN CUÑA GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of Violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act No. 3019,” the document reads.
Both are sentenced to “an indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of six years and one month as minimum to 10 years as maximum.”
Article continues after this advertisementBautista and Cuña will also suffer “perpetual disqualification to hold public office.”
Article continues after this advertisementBased on previous reports, state prosecutors accused Bautista and Cuña of facilitating the full payment of supplier Geodata Solutions Inc. without authorization from the city council and before the completion of the project.
Article continues after this advertisementIn March last year, Sandiganbayan denied Bautista’s motion for leave to file demurrer to evidence, saying that “sufficiency of evidence is inevitably found.”
Citing Bautista’s motion, the resolution revealed that the former mayor invoked the “Arias doctrine,” arguing that any irregularities cannot be attributed to him since he was not a bids and awards committee member.
Article continues after this advertisementUnder the Arias principle, a superior cannot be held liable for an offense committed by his or her subordinate, without evidence.
In 2023, Bautista denied being part of any conspiracy to commit graft, saying that the purported conspiracy could not be proven with the fact that he entered into a contract.
ChocoVron Vice President Marissa Lourdes Yala told the Philippine News Agency on the sidelines of the US-PH 2024 Trade Mission Conference at The Manila Hotel on Friday, October 18, that the P500 million (US$8.75 million) expansion plan of the company will triple the capacity of its production facility in San Pedro, Laguna.
While the Marcos administration has been exerting efforts to attract more green power developments to the market, the sector may be dealing with some hitches as the projects are now “being processed for termination” due to the companies’ failure to meet committed timelines, the agency noted Sunday.
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