Mary Ann Maslog convicted of graft in textbook scam case

The Sandiganbayan has found Mary Ann Maslog, who previously faked her death, guilty of graft over the anomalous procurement of textbooks worth P24 million in 1998.

The anti-graft court's Second Division sentenced Maslog to six to 10 years in jail and perpetually disqualified her from holding public office.

Nicole Jamilla, counsel for Maslog, said they will appeal the decision.

"To protect the rights of the client and the rights of the accused, we will file a motion for reconsideration," Jamilla told reporters.

Maslog will remain detained at the National Bureau of Investigation facility in Muntinlupa.

During the promulgation of the decision, Maslog revealed that she was briefly released by the NBI from detention.

"I was released in the evening. I was just out for two hours," Maslog said, adding she voluntarily returned to NBI custody after she received a call saying that she was a fugitive.

Asked by the Sandiganbayan justices who informed her about a supposed release order, Maslog initially gave unclear answers but later said a certain "NBI chief Jovenir" and ''officials Javier and Padilla."

Lawyer Anna Marie Crespillo, clerk of court of the Sandiganbayan Second Division, said that a certain Jocelyn dela Cruz had asked her about a release order for Maslog in the first week of January.

"They said nakalabas na [si Maslog]," Crespillo said.

(They said Maslog was able to leave.)

Crespillo told dela Cruz that the Sandiganbayan did not issue a release order.

In addition, Crespillo said that a day after, she was told by the NBI that Maslog was not released.

Associate Justice Edgardo Caldona asked Maslog if it was true that she had paid millions to the authorities for her release but later returned because "she did not fulfill her end of the bargain."

“No, Your Honor,” Maslog replied.

In order for the anti-graft court to take the proper measures, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg directed the NBI agents who were present at Tuesday's promulgation to provide the court with the findings of the NBI's probe into Maslog's brief release.

“The court cannot turn a blind eye to this,” Econg said.

Maslog was arrested by NBI agents on September 25, 2024, after complaints were filed against a certain Jessica Francisco. Investigations revealed through fingerprint matching that Maslog and Francisco were the same person.

The court said that Maslog’s child had falsely reported her as deceased to mislead authorities and evade prosecution.

Maslog, a publishing company agent, was charged along with two Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (now Department of Education) officials with graft over the 1998 textbook procurement scam.

The Office of the Ombudsman had alleged that the two DECS officials approved and processed documents for a supply contract favoring Esteem Enterprises, a company represented by Maslog.

In 2020, the two former DECS officials were convicted and sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. The case against Maslog was previously dismissed in 2019 following reports of her alleged death. — VBL, GMA Integrated News