Maslog to remain in NBI custody

MANILA, Philippines — The prime suspect in the 1999 textbook anomaly, who was initially presumed dead, will stay longer in detention due to a bench warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan.

Mary Ann Maslog is being held at the Sandiganbayan sheriff’s office and will be committed to the National Bureau of Investigation, NBI chief Jaime Santiago told The STAR yesterday.

Santiago said the NBI was about to release Maslog on Tuesday when they got a copy of the warrant from the anti-graft court.

He said Maslog is facing cases of falsification of public documents and violation of Republic Act 6085, also known as the Anti-Alias Law, which are bailable offenses.

“There is no bail recommended. So she will remain in the NBI custody,” Santiago told reporters.

Maslog has been charged for allegedly bribing officials of the Department of Budget and Management to secure a P200-million textbook contract in 1999.

The cases filed against her were dropped after she was declared dead by her lawyer.

Maslog will be presented to the court where the NBI must prove that she is the same person who was declared dead decades ago.

She was allegedly using the name Jessica Francisco when she was arrested by the NBI on Sept. 25.

Maslog, who presented herself as Francisco, asked the NBI to look into a fraudulent executive appointment scheme allegedly involving former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez.

Through fingerprint matching, the NBI discovered that Maslog and Francisco are the same person.