Judge Hermogenes Liwag of Regional Trial Court Branch 55 issued the order after Mawanay failed to show up for his arraignment and pre-trial last Sept. 26 despite notice.
On motion of the prosecution, Liwag also cancelled the bail bond Mawanay posted for his temporary liberty.
Records showed that on Feb. 22, 2000, complainant Susan Amego alleged that Mawanay failed to deliver a cellular phone, which she paid for with P25,000 in cash.
Amego said Mawanay had persuaded her to get a mobile phone from him, being an employee of the Bureau of Customs. After receiving the payment, Mawanay failed to deliver the phone, prompting Amego to file charges against him.
For his part, Mawanay said he has proof that he was able to return some P20,000 to Amego when he failed to deliver the phone "so the estafa charges against me have no more basis."
Mawanay was the controversial witness of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that linked then Philippine National Police chief and now Senator Panfilo Lacson to alleged illegal activities in July last year.
He was placed under the custody of the Witness Protection Program, but was removed from the government program five months later. – Cecille Suerte Felipe