Sandigan denies ex-QC Mayor Bistek's demurrer to graft raps

MANILA – The Sandiganbayan has denied former Quezon City mayor Herbert "Bistek"Bautista's motion to dismiss pending charges against him in connection with alleged irregularities in a 32-million pesos information and communications technology (ICT) project in 2019.

In its 23-page resolution published on Thursday, the anti-graft court's Seventh Division said it resolved to deny the separate motions for leave to file demurrer to evidence filed by Bautista and his former city administrator, Aldrin C. Cuña.

A demurrer to evidence is a party's objection that the evidence that the prosecution presented is insufficient to make out a case or sustain the issue.

"At this stage, the claims and defenses of the accused of the evidence presented by the prosecution are not yet weighed in. They are best left until the presentation of the defense evidence where both accused shall have the opportunity to refute the evidence presented against them," the court said.

The anti-graft court earlier admitted the documentary evidence presented by the Office of the Ombudsman's prosecution team against Bautista and Cuña in connection with the allegedly anomalous P32-million online occupational permitting and tracking system project in 2019.

The tentative setting for the presentation of defense evidence was set by the court on March 20. (PNA)