In a 104-page decision penned by Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez, Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division found Councilor Dante De Guzman guilty of violating Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for gross inexcusable negligence in connection with the non-distribution of the supplies he ordered for his constituents in District III.

the anti-graft court sentenced him to a maximum of 32 years imprisonment or six to eight years jail time for each count of his convictions.

The court also disqualified him from holding a public office for life and ordered him to pay P6.4 million in civil liability to the Quezon City government.

“Accused De Guzman’s failure to cause the distribution of the said items to the different barangays of District 3, Quezon City was attended by gross inexcusable negligence,” the three-man Sandiganbayan magistrates said.

The court noted that the items purchased by the city government were received by De Guzman’s office were not received by the intended beneficiaries.

Prosecution witnesses Rebecca Pacunla and Edward Gallardo confirmed the non-delivery of the supplies to the listed recipients.

“The names of the area coordinators in the distribution list for tents, the distribution list for the kiddie raincoats and rainboots, and the distribution list for food supplies, are the same, but the signatures above the names of each distribution list are different, indicating that someone just wrote signatures above the names to make it appear that the area coordinators received the pertinent items,” the anti-graft court stated.