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Ex-QC mayor Bautista, city official face prison for graft over P32-M IT deal

Dominique Nicole Flores - Philstar.com
Ex-QC mayor Bautista, city official face prison for graft over P32-M IT deal
Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista attends the State of the Nation Address in July 2014.
Philstar.com / AJ Bolando, file

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista and former city administrator Aldrin Cuña to prison and imposed a lifetime ban from public office following their conviction for graft.

In a 146-page decision dated January 20, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division found Bautista and Cuña guilty of violating Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

“They are each sentenced to suffer an indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of six years and one month as minimum to 10 years as maximum. Additionally, said accused are sentenced to suffer perpetual disqualification to hold office,” the decision stated.

The case stems from a P32.1 million payment in 2019 to Geodata Solutions Inc., which was favored in the procurement of an online system designed to process and track occupational permits.

Before the project’s implementation, applicants were required to visit City Hall in person, often enduring long queues. The Quezon City government procured the Online Permitting Tracking System that year to streamline the application and payment process for occupational permits through a fully digital platform.

The Office of the Ombudsman argued that no proper city ordinance authorized the project during Bautista’s term and that there was insufficient evidence to prove the system had been delivered.

The Sandiganbayan ruled that Bautista and Cuña violated Section 3 of Republic Act 3019, which prohibits government officials from granting undue benefits or special treatment to private parties, particularly in agencies responsible for licenses, permits and concessions.

The anti-graft court, however, decided not to impose civil liability or fines on Bautista and Cuña, as the P32.1 million had already been fully paid to Geodata Solutions and was deemed unrecoverable. The private party involved was not named as a respondent in the case.

Bautista had filed a motion to dismiss the graft charges against him, but the Sandiganbayan rejected it, citing lack of merit in his claims that the prosecution’s evidence was weak. A subsequent motion for reconsideration was also quashed by the court.

The court said the motions merely delayed proceedings, noting that sufficient evidence was present.

Bautista and Cuña may still appeal the Sandiganbayan’s decision to the Supreme Court.

Another graft case awaits decision

Bautista and Cuña are also facing a separate graft charge before the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division over a P25.34 million payment to Cygnet Energy and Power Asia Inc. for a solar power system.

The payment was made despite the company’s failure to secure a net metering system from Manila Electric Company, or Meralco.

While no decision has been issued in this case, Cuña was suspended for 90 days in April 2024 by the Third Division from his role as executive vice president of the National Defense College of the Philippines. — with Ian Laqui

ANTI-GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

CITY ADMINISTRATOR ALDRIN CUNA

HERBERT BAUTISTA

QUEZON CITY

SANDIGANBAYAN

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