The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its decision that convicted former Quezon City administrator Aldrin C. Cuña of graft in the P25.3 million solar power and waterproofing contract for a city building in 2019.

In its resolution issued last Feb. 19, the anti-graft court’s third division upheld its Dec. 12, 2025 decision which sentenced Cuña to six to eight years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding any public office and loss of all retirement or gratuity benefits.

Cuña filed his motion for reconsideration (MR) on Jan. 5, 2026. He alleged that the court failed to appreciate that the Acceptance and Inspection Report (AIR) of the General Services Department (GSD) was the document issued by the Quezon City government that finally accepted the project from the contractor, Cygnet Energy and Power Asia Inc., and not the Acknowledgment Receipt for Equipment (ARE) and Sub-Acknowledgment Receipt for Equipment (Sub-ARE).

He also alleged that the criminal indictment only charged him on the ground of his issuance of an undated certificate of acceptance, and he was not charged for his signature in the ARE, Sub-ARE, and disbursement voucher.

The anti-graft court denied his motion. “Here, the variance between the undated Certificate of Acceptance vis-a-vis the ARE, sub-ARE, and initials in the disbursement voucher did not materially impair Cuña's right to prepare his defense," it said.

It also said that “contrary to Cuña's assertion, he was able to sufficiently defend himself, even testifying as to the validity of the ARE, sub-ARE, and his initials in the disbursement voucher."

The court stressed that Cuña should have been aware that the net-metering is a requirement under the Supply and Delivery Agreement, and he could not blame his subordinates and claim good faith when he signed the undated Certificate of Acceptance, ARE, Sub-ARE, and Disbursement Voucher.

“Cuña failed to raise any profound arguments and legal and factual basis to counteract the court's findings that he gave unwarranted benefits and advantages to Cygnet through his gross inexcusable negligence," it pointed out.

The 13-page resolution was written by Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno with the concurrence of Chairperson Associate Justice Karl B. Miranda and Associate Justice Fritz Bryn Anthony M. Delos Santos.

While Cuña was convicted, his co-accused -- former Quezon City Mayor Herbert "Bistek" Bautista -- was acquitted of the same charge due to the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Bautista and Cuña were initially accused of making the full payment to Cygnet Energy and Power Asia Inc. for the Supply and Installation of Solar Power System and Waterproofing Works for Civic Center Building worth P25,342,359.25.

The prosecution said Cygnet was not entitled to the said amount due to its failure to get the Net Metering System from the Manila Electric Company which was a requirement of the Supply and Delivery Agreement.

Cuña was convicted because he signed the Acknowledgment Receipts for Equipment and initialed the disbursement voucher despite the lack of the required of Net Metering System.