Antigraft court issues arrest warrant vs Misuari over textbook scam
Nur Misuari. FILE PHOTO
The Sandiganbayan Third Division has issued the arrest warrant against Nur Misuari, former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor and founder of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), for graft and malversation through falsification in the irregular purchase of P77.26 million worth of textbooks in 2000 and 2001.
Third Division clerk of court Atty. Dennis Pulma confirmed that the arrest warrants for Misuari and the rest of his co-accused have been served to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
“It is confirmed that Warrant Of Arrest dated August 31, 2017 already delivered for its service on accused Misuari,” Pulma said in a text message to reporters.
READ: Sandigan orders Misuari’s arrest over P115-M textbook scam
This after the anti-graft court found probable cause to hold on trial Misuari for two counts each of graft and malversation through falsification.
Even as the prosecution recommended no bail in the malversation through falsification, the court said the bail is fixed at P200,000 per count of the complex crime of malversation.
READ: Palace advises Misuari to face charges in court
Misuari is expected to pay an additional P60,000 or P30,000 for each count of graft, for a total of P460,000.
In its resolution, the court said it would proceed to try Misuari for the anomalous contracts involving P31 million and P46.26 million worth of MBJ Learning Tools and CPR Publishing for the purchase of multimedia information technology packages, which ended up not delivered.
READ: Antigraft court orders arrest, trial of MNLF chief Misuari
The prosecutors accused Misuari and his co-accused for misusing funds of the Department of Education-ARMM by falsifying requisition and issuing a voucher, purchase order, sales invoice, disbursement voucher, schedule of accounts payable, list of due and demandable accounts payable-external creditors, to make it appear a procurement was made.
The prosecutors said the following goods were not delivered, causing undue advantage to the contractors and causing undue injury to government:
- multimedia information technology package worth P46,261,250 ordered from CPR Publishing House of Caloocan City;
- various educational materials worth P37,959,204 ordered from White Orchids Printing and Publishing House; and
- information technology package worth P31 million from MBJ Learning Tools of Caloocan City.
But the court ordered the Ombudsman prosecutors to present evidence on Misuari’s involvement in the allegedly anomalous P37.96 million worth of educational materials purchased from White Orchids Printing and Publishing House.
The court also dismissed the motions of Misuari’s coaccused, former Department of Education Regional Director Leovigilda Cinches and state auditor Nader Macagaan, adding that there was no inordinate delay in the Ombudsman’s investigation.
Misuari has a standing warrant of arrest for rebellion and violation of Republic Act 9851, or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, for leading the MNLF’s deadly siege in Zamboanga city in 2013 that left 200 dead.
The Department of Justice, however, has expressed interest in lifting Misuari’s arrest warrant in a bid to restart stalled peace talks with the MNLF.
The Pasig Regional Trial court in November last year suspended Misuari’s arrest warrant for six months after President Rodrigo Duterte extended his hand to talk peace with Misuari. The court extended the suspension for another six months. je
READ: Court again stops arrest of Misuari
