Former Misamis Oriental governor and Claveria town mayor Antonio Calingin was arrested by the provincial Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Barangay Kiabo, Malitbog town in Bukidnon midnight Thursday.

The CIDG arrested Calingin by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan second division on March 22 for failure to appear in the scheduled promulgation of his case of 15 counts of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

They have also with them another warrant of arrest issued by Sandiganbayan fifth division for malversation issued in June 2018.

Police executive master sergeant Noel Oclarit, deputy chief of CIDG Misamis Oriental, said authorities were monitoring Calingin in the adjacent Malitbog town for days after failing to find him in his address in Barangay Poblacion, Claveria.

"Sa pagkatanggap namin sa warrant of arrest meron na kaming impormasyon kung saan siya nagtago kaya nag surveilance na kami ng ilang araw," he said.

Calingin is in the custody of CIDG.

The graft case stems from the Balay Ticala housing project in 1996 when he was still mayor of Claveria.

In a decision dated March 22, the Sandiganbayan convicted Calingin for graft and was sentenced to 6 to 8 years in prison for each of the 15 counts, or a total 90 to 120 years.

He was also ordered to indemnify the state in the amount of P7.2 million and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.