FORMER Misamis Oriental governor Antonio Calingin was arrested by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for failing to appear to the scheduled promulgation on his malversation charges, last March 22.
Police Executive Master Sergeant Noel Oclarit, deputy chief CIDG-Misamis Oriental, said that Calingin was arrested in Kiabo, Claveria town, Misamis Oriental, Thursday midnight, May 9.
Oclarit said the court issued a bench warrant against Calingin, who recently sentenced with a life imprisonment after being found guilty of 15 counts of graft by the Sandiganbayan over the anomalous housing project in 1996.
“Despite due notice to his attorney and to himself, he still did not appear in the promulgation. So the judge issued a bench warrant, and this is non-bailable, so he will be forced to attend the reading of the judgment of his case, whether he likes it or not,” he added.
He is currently detained in Camp Evangelista, Barangay Patag, Misamis Oriental.
In March 22, the Sandiganbayan convicted Calingin of 15 counts for violating Section 3(e) of the anti-graft law, or causing injury to the government by giving unwarranted benefits to a party.
Each count amounts to an indeterminate penalty of six years imprisonment, perpetual disqualification from public office, and is ordered to indemnify the government with an amount worth more than P7 million. He will be imprisoned for a total of 90 to 120 years.
The decision was signed by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna.
The case stemmed from the controversial Balay Ticala housing projects in 1995 and the anomalous reimbursements of more than P7 million under his name.