TWO former chairpersons of Barangay 700 in Malate, Manila are facing imprisonment for up to seven years and five months over the May 22, 2025 decision of the Sandiganbayan Second Division that affirmed their conviction on a graft charge by the Manila Regional Trial Court in 2023.
In the 58-page ruling penned by Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg, the anti-graft court denied the appeal of Allan Sulay and Marc Brian Co seeking reversal of the RTC decision.
The two were convicted on December 27, 2023 by the Manila RTC Branch 42 for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) in relation to the anomalous contract for the rehabilitation of the Barangay Hall in 2012.
Prosecutors presented evidence that the bidding for the project was rigged to favor contractor Boylet Enterprises and that the two accused, in conspiracy with several other defendants who remain at large, tried to conceal the irregularities by submitting bogus documents to make it appear that a public bidding was held.
In his appeal, Sulay claimed he had no participation whatsoever in the bidding, award, and acceptance of construction supplies.
He also tried to shift the blame to the late barangay treasurer Simeona Armedilla, whom he tagged as responsible for making up the bogus bidding documents.
He said he was unaware of any public bidding and claimed the construction materials were not bought using barangay funds but were given to them by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.
Co, who defeated Sulay in the succeeding barangay election, said he was a kagawad during the period relevant to the case but denied he was part of the Bids and Awards Committee even if he signed the documents identifying himself as a BAC member.
In affirming the conviction of the two, the Sandiganbayan noted that neither the Manila city government nor the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has any record that Boylet Enteprises had a permit to engage in trade.
Likewise, prosecutors were able to establish that the supposed participation of two other construction firms in the bidding for the project never happened.
“After a careful perusal of the evidence presented, the Court finds that the plaintiff-appellee has proven beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of accused-appellants Sulay and Co for the offense charged. There is no reason to reverse, and the Court affirms, the actual findings of the RTC Branch 42, Manila,” the court declared.
On top of the jail sentence, the defendants were also disqualified from holding any other government post and were ordered to indemnify the City Government of Manila for the entire contract cost of P66,020.
