Warrant of arrest issued vs textbook scam suspect

MANILA, Philippines - A warrant of arrest has been issued against publishing company agent Mary Ann Maslog by the Sandiganbayan Second Division in connection with the P24- million textbook procurement anomaly in 1998. Associate Justice Edilberto Sandoval, chairman of the Sandiganbayan Second Division, signed the arrest warrant against Maslog Thursday. Maslog has been charged with graft along with two officials of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (now DepEd). Others charged were DECS Region–VIII chief accountant Emilia V. Aranas and budget and finance division chief Ernesto R. Guiang. Ombudsman investigators had claimed Aranas and Guiang processed and approved documents pertaining to a P24-million supply contract for textbooks in favor of Esteem Enterprises which was represented by Maslog. This even if the documents were later found to have been ‘falsified’. Both have posted bail bonds for their temporary liberty ahead of the court’s finding of probable cause to proceed with the trial. Maslog hit the headlines nine years ago after she delivered a box containing P3 million in cash to the Department of Budget and Management in Malacañang on January 19, 1999. Then Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno asked the NBI to investigate Maslog for the bribe try. She had claimed that the incident was a mistake when she brought the wrong box to the DBM. She said that she was suppose to bring a box of ceramic mugs as Christmas giveaways. In the Sandiganbayan order, chief sheriff Edgardo Urieta was directed to take Maslog in custody and to secure the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement agencies. Assistant Special Prosecutor II Terence S. Fernando recommended that the graft court set a P30,000 bail bond for the graft case.- GMANews.TV