BBM orders DILG, PNP to track down Sarah Discaya, others

President Marcos yesterday directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to track the whereabouts of controversial contractor Sarah Discaya and several other respondents to ensure their immediate arrest upon issuance of the warrants in connection with a P100-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

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The ombudsman has recommended the filing of charges for malversation through falsification and violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act under Section 3E against Discaya and Maria Roma Angeline Remando of St. Timothy Construction Corporation and other individuals from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Marcos said the case stemmed from a complaint filed by the DPWH, relating to a flood control project in Culaman, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental. The project, valued at nearly P100 million, was awarded on Jan. 13, 2022 to St. Timothy Construction.

"Based on the investigation, this project was supposedly completed in 2022 but was never started," Marcos said in a video message.

The President said that although the project was reported as completed in 2022, an inspection by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNPCIDG) on Sept. 25 confirmed that no construction had taken place at the site.