Sabio arraignment on malverse raps set on Nov. 24

MANILA, Philippines - The arraignment of controversial former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio for malversation of public funds filed against him by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has been set on Nov. 24.

Lawyer Gerard Mosquera, PCGG commissioner in charge for litigation, said they are closely coordinating with the OSG for the prosecution of the case, saying they want the case to be resolved swiftly.

The case was filed in connection with the P10-million unliquidated cash advances he took from the Mid-Pasig Land Development Corp., a PCGG real estate holding corporation, in 2006.

Sabio had eluded arrest when he recently posted bail in a Batangas City court last month.

He reportedly paid P110,000 bail bond at the Batangas City Regional Trial Court Branch 3 in exchange for his provisional liberty after the Sandiganbayan ordered his arrest for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and two counts of malversation of public funds.

Ruben Galvez, executive judge of the Batangas RTC, said Sabio voluntarily surrendered to the court last Oct. 24 and posted bail for his temporary liberty.

Associate Justice Gregory Ong of Sandiganbayan ordered the Quezon City Police District chief, the National Bureau of Investigation director, and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation Division chief to serve the arrest warrant to Sabio in his residence.