The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of three individuals for graft and malversation of public funds in the misuse of the P44 million priority development assistance fund (PDAF) of the late ex-Benguet congressman Samuel Dangwa.

Denied for lack of merit were the motions for reconsideration filed by former Technology Resource Center (TRC) director general Dennis L. Cunanan, National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC) President Gondelina Amata, and Dangwa's employee Erwin Cagas Dangwa.

In its Dec. 5, 2025 decision, the anti-graft court convicted Cunanan of one count of graft and three counts of malversation, while Amata and Erwin Dangwa were convicted of one count of graft and one count of malversation each.

Each graft conviction carried the penalty of six to 10 years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office and loss of all retirement of gratuity benefits. For malversation, they were sentenced to a prison term ranging from 10 to 17 years.

Cunanan moved for the reconsideration of his conviction as he argued that the prosecution failed to prove with moral certainty that he acted with corrupt intent or evident bad faith.

Amata, on the other hand, said that her constitutional right was violated as the crimes being imputed were not alleged, while Erwin Dangwa claimed that the prosecution failed to present evidence of conspiracy against the accused.

In the Feb. 23, 2026 resolution that denied their motions, the anti-graft court said that the motions filed by Cunanan and Amata were belatedly filed and cannot be given due course.

It pointed out that even assuming that their motions were filed on time, the issues they raised have already been exhaustively discussed and judiciously resolved so it deserves "scant consideration."

In the case of Erwin Dangwa’s motion, the court said that his actions are indicative of conspiracy that accorded unwarranted benefits to a private party.

"Here, the concurrence of the accused's acts in pursuit of a common purpose -- namely, the release of public funds and the receipt of commissions -- is more than sufficient to establish conspiracy, the court said.

Their respective actions demonstrate that they participated in the transaction to further a common criminal design and purpose, that is, to malverse or misappropriate public funds, it added.

"Hence, it is clear that there is adequate evidence warranting the conviction beyond reasonable doubt of the accused. All told, the court finds no cogent or compelling reason to warrant a reconsideration of its decision," the court ruled.

The 14-page resolution was written by Chairperson Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno of the court’s special third division with the concurrence of Associate Justices Fritz Bryn Anthony M. Delos Santos and Arthur O. Malabaguio.