FORMER Quezon City councilor Dante de Guzman has failed in his bid for a reversal of the August 12, 2025 decision of the Sandiganbayan convicting him on 32 criminal charges.
The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division denied his Motion for Reconsideration in a resolution dated September 8, 2025, wherein the former city official challenged the court’s finding of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
“The motion for reconsideration is denied. A perusal of the present motion shows that it raises no substantial argument or cogent reason that would warrant a reversal or modification of the assailed decision,” the court said.
It sustained the stand of the prosecution that the defendant’s MR was a mere rehash of defenses already discussed at length and rejected by the court.
De Guzman was found guilty of 16 counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, each of which carries a penalty of six to eight years imprisonment.
Likewise, he was convicted on 16 counts of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents, which is punishable by six to ten years imprisonment per offense.
Trial records show De Guzman’s office hired several individuals as field coordinators, area coordinators, or office aides, but only a few actually rendered service as street sweepers, reporting only twice a week.
According to prosecutors, the rest were ghost employees whose names only appeared on paper and yet still managed to collect salaries.
Four of the hired street sweepers testified that they were only paid P600 every two weeks, a paltry sum compared to the P5,000 they expected to receive.
