MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and his former city administrator Aldrin Cuña of graft in relation to the 2019 procurement of the Online Occupational Permitting and Tracking System (OOPTS).
In a decision handed down on Monday, January 20, the anti-graft court sentenced both Bautista and Cuña to prison terms ranging from six to 10 years each. Additionally, they were both perpetually disqualified from holding any public office as a result of their conviction.
However, the Sandiganbayan did not impose any fines on the two, as the P32 million in public funds involved had already been received by Geodata Solutions, the private company that was awarded the contract—though this firm was not part of the case.
The case centered on accusations that Bautista and Cuña showed partiality in awarding the OOPTS contract to Geodata Solutions, despite the absence of a specific appropriation approved by the city council.
At his May 2023 arraignment, Bautista claimed that the charges were politically motivated, asserting, “I devoted myself to Quezon City for 34 years, and then because of politics, we have this [case].” Bautista, who served as a city councilor, vice mayor, and mayor before his term ended in 2019, did not elaborate on who he believed was behind the alleged political maneuvering.
He also tried his luck in national politics, but he lost in the 2022 senatorial elections. elamigo/mnm
