Agent, 2 others face graft raps over P24M textbook scam
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/20/2008 3:58 PM
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A publishing company agent and two education officials are facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan graft court for their involvement in a P24 million textbook scam that implicated former President Joseph Estrada nine years ago.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed graft charges against publishing company agent Mary Ann Maslog, former DECS Region –VIII chief accountant Emilia V. Aranas and budget and finance division chief Ernesto R. Guiang for alleged fraudulent disbursement of funds amounting to P24 million from the Department of Budget and Management.
The textbook scandal started when Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno ordered Maslog's investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation after she delivered to Malacañang a box found to contain P3 million in cash on January 19, 1999.
During the subsequent Senate inquiry, then Education Secretary Andrew Gonzales testified that a Cecilia De Castro, supposedly a distant cousin of former President Estrada, lobbied him for the approval of a P200 million textbook contract.
Maslog was tagged as the "baglady" who was tasked to deliver payoff for officials who made possible the release of the budget for the book purchase.
While she did not deny bringing the P3 million to Malacañang, Maslog claimed she brought the wrong box because what she was supposed to deliver were decorative ceramic mugs as Christmas giveaways.
Assistant Special Prosecutor II Terence S. Fernando drafted the charges against the three accused and submitted them to Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez back in March 31, 2008 but they were approved only last October 15.
Ombudsman investigators said the funds were released using Sub-Allotment Release Orders (SARO) Nos. OSEC-8-98-015 dated February 3, 1998 for P10 million and OSEC-8-98-062 dated June 22, 1998 for P14 million, which were found to have been falsified.
Aranas and Guiang, however, processed the said documents thereby causing the release of payment to Esteem Enterprises, which Maslog represented.
Fernando also filed an additional case of technical malversation was also filed against Aranas on the basis of her certification that there was adequate available funds for the purchase of textbooks and supplementary materials from Esteem Enterprises. He said this certification paved the way for the disbursement of funds from the 1997 budget savings despite the absence of the required legislative appropriation.
Sources at the Sandiganbayan Second Division said Aranas and Guiang have already posted bail even before the graft court can declare existence of probable cause which would have resulted in the issuance of arrest warrants against the three defendants.
The prosecution recommended a P60,000 total bail bond for Aranas and P30,000 bail each for Guiang and Maslog.
