The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the conviction of former Quezon City District III Councilor Dante Manzano De Guzman (De Guzman) for graft involving more than PHP 6 million worth of ghost projects.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, the SC’s First Division affirmed the Sandiganbayan’s ruling that found De Guzman guilty of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. (RA) 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Between 2008 to 2009, De Guzman facilitated the procurement of tents, kiddie raincoats, rain boots, food supplies, and sports equipment for distribution to different barangays in his district. Following a bidding process, suppliers were selected and paid after delivery of the items to De Guzman’s office.

However, an anonymous complaint received by the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) alleged the existence of ghost employees and ghost projects involving Quezon City councilors, including De Guzman.

Upon investigation, the Ombudsman found that while the items were delivered and received by De Guzman’s staff, they were never distributed to the intended beneficiaries listed in the official distribution records. Instead, De Guzman made it appear that the goods were received by designated area coordinators, using what appeared to be falsified signatures.

De Guzman was charged with four counts of graft. In his defense, he claimed that his signatures on the procurement documents had been forged.

However, the Sandiganbayan rejected this defense and found him guilty.

The SC affirmed his conviction.

Graft under Section 3(e) of RA 3019 is committed when a public officer causes injury to any party or gives unwarranted benefits through manifest partiality, bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.

In this case, the SC ruled that De Guzman’s gross negligence caused undue injury to the Quezon City Government. While he was not expected to personally distribute the items, he was responsible for ensuring they reached the intended recipients. However, the items were never distributed and could no longer be accounted for.

This negligence led to a financial loss to the Quezon City Government of PHP 6,411,261.01—the total cost of the undelivered items.

The SC also dismissed De Guzman’s claim of forgery, noting that he failed to prove that the procurement documents, which are presumed authentic as official records, were falsified.

De Guzman was sentenced to a maximum of eight years in prison for each of the four counts of graft. He was also ordered to pay the Quezon City Government PHP 6,411,261.01 plus 6% annual interest from the date the Decision becomes final until the amount is fully paid. (Courtesy of the SC Office of the Spokesperson)

This press release is prepared for members of the media and the general public by the SC Office of the Spokesperson as a simplified summary of the SC’s Decision. For the SC’s complete discussion of the case, please read the full text of the Decision in G.R. Nos. 274863 and 275057-59 (People of the Philippines v. Dante Manzano de Guzman), July 2, 2025.