Hinatulan ng Sandiganbayan ng pagkakabilanggo si dating Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista kaugnay ng kinakaharap na kasong graft na may kinalaman sa pagkuha ng Online Occupational Permitting Tracking System (OOPTS).

Sa ibinabang 32-pahinang desisyon, hinatulang guilty ng Sandiganbayan si Bautista gayundin si dating Quezon City City Administrator Aldrin Cuña na may kaukulang parusang anim hanggang sampung taong pagkakabilanggo.

Kaugnay nito, ikinalungkot naman ng panig ni Bautista ang desisyon ng korte at pinanindigan na inosente ito sa naturang akusasyon.

“We are deeply saddened by the verdict of the Seventh Division of the Sandiganbayan against our client, Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Constantine M. Bautista. We strongly believe that our client is innocent of the malicious charge against him,” ayon sa ipinalabas na statement ng abogado ni Bautista.

“He did not commit any act which constitutes the offense charged. The vote is two (2) against one (1) – meaning there exists a cloud of doubt even among the Justices who deliberated on the evidence presented in this case. We likewise believe that the pieces of evidence of both sides do not support any finding of guilt against the former Mayor,” nakasaad pa.

Kaugnay nito, maghahanda na ang panig ni Bautista ng motion for reconsideration.

“We will definitely prepare and file a motion for reconsideration of this decision. We hope that the Honorable Sandiganbayan Justices would take a second hard look on all the pieces of evidence that we presented during the trial that shows our client’s innocence of the malicious charge levied against him,” ayon pa sa statement.