Sandiganbayan affirms graft conviction of Mary Ann Maslog

For lack of merit, the Sandiganbayan has denied the motion for reconsideration and affirmed the graft conviction of Mary Ann Maslog in connection with the anomalous procurement of P24 million worth of textbooks in 1998.

In a six-page resolution dated March 5, the anti-graft court denied Maslog’s motion for reconsideration concerning the court’s January 2025 decision because of her “failure to raise any novel issue or present compelling evidence to overturn her conviction.”

Specifically, the anti-graft court said Maslog personally hand-carried and delivered falsified budget release orders from the central office of the then-Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) Central Office to DECS Region 8, and these falsified documents were used as the basis for the disbursement of public funds.  

In addition, the anti-graft court said Maslog, who was once presumed dead, acted as the representative of supplier Esteem Enterprise that received the government funds for the procurement of textbooks and supplementary materials.    

“The Court finds that her motion is mainly a mere rehash of arguments already resolved in the decision dated January 28, 2025. Accused Maslog’s deliberate role in the fraudulent scheme from securing falsified documents to misrepresenting Esteem Enterprises-proves intentional wrongdoing,” the anti-graft court said.  

In addition, the Sandiganbayan said Maslog also facilitated the processing and receipt of government payments to Esteem Enterprises, despite the absence of a Notice of Cash Allocation  (NCA) and the falsified  nature of the documents supporting the transactions.

On top of these, the anti-graft court said that the prosecution presented clear and convincing evidence that Maslog assumed multiple aliases, jumped bail and faked her own death to avoid prosecution.

“These deceptive maneuvers are not the conduct of a wrongfully accused individual but of someone fully aware of her culpability. Accordingly, the decision dated January  28, 2025, finding accused Mary Ann T. Maslog guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019, stands,” the Sandiganbayan added.  

Before her graft conviction, Maslog also revealed before the court that she was briefly released by authorities identified as "NBI chief Jovenir" and ''officials Javier and Padilla."

Associate Justice Edgardo Caldona then 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.

Maslog, a publishing company agent, was charged along with two DECS 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 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.

It was Maslog’s child who had falsely reported her as deceased. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News