Former Quezon City administrator Aldrin Cuña believes he was left to face the graft case on his own after then mayor Herbert Bautista pursued a separate legal strategy, according to a source quoting Cuña’s remarks.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Friday, December 13 acquitted Bautista of graft in connection with the Quezon City government’s ₱25.34-million solar power and waterproofing project in 2019, citing the prosecution’s failure to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
In the same ruling, the anti-graft court found Cuña guilty of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and sentenced him to six to eight years’ imprisonment.
A source said Cuña has expressed frustration over the outcome, saying their legal strategies diverged when Bautista retained separate counsel and pursued an independent defense.
“Their conclusion was I co-conspired with myself. In short, nilaglag ako ni Bistek. Magkaiba kami ng abogado. Nag-solo siya. Iniwanan niya ako,” Cuña said, according to the source.
The court also ordered Cuña’s perpetual disqualification from public office and ruled that he would not be entitled to retirement benefits.
Cuña was granted provisional liberty, with the Sandiganbayan approving the prosecution’s request to double his ₱90,000 cash bond and giving him five days to comply.
The case stemmed from allegations that Bautista and Cuña authorized full payment to contractor Cygnet Energy Power Asia Inc. despite alleged deficiencies in the solar power project, including the non-delivery of a net metering system.
Bautista, who argued that he was no longer Mayor when the payment was released and that the project followed City Council-approved procedures, was cleared of liability, while Cuña’s conviction remains subject to post-judgment remedies under the law.
