The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the 2018 regional trial court (RTC) decision which convicted five barangay officials of Barangay 48, Zone 4, District II in Caloocan City of five counts of falsification of public documents in 2013.

Affirmed was the guilty verdict imposed on Barangay Chairman Wilfredo M. Camus, Kagawad (councilmen) Benito A. Ching, Claro Melarpis Ponce, and Zacarias M. Ferrer, and Barangay Secretary Ramon E. Acuna.

Also upheld was the prison term ranging from six months and one day to eight years with the accessory penalty of P2,000 in a decision issued by the Sandiganbayan last March 11.

The charges against them arose from the issuance of Resolution No. 001, Series of 2013, which stated that the Sangguniang Barangay held a session on Dec. 1, 2013 and all of its members unanimously approved the appointment of Acuna as barangay secretary. The prosecution was able to prove that no barangay session actually took place.

The Sandiganbayan said it found "no cogent reason to reverse" the contested RTC decision.

"At the outset, it bears emphasis that accused-appellants themselves admitted in their brief that the court a quo did not commit any error in the decision subject of their appeal based on the pieces of evidence presented during trial," the Sandiganbayan said.

The court said that the "bone" of the accused's argument fell on their perceived violation of their right to due process, in particular, the "negligence" of their former counsel which they claimed "lacked the zeal in representing them during trial."

However, the anti-graft court said that the deficiency on the part of their counsel did not result in any violation of their right to due process because they were given their day in court.

The decision was written by Associate Justice Alex L. Quiroz with the concurrence of Associate Justices Lorifel L. Pahimna and Bayani H. Jacinto.