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December 11, 2025 | 4:43pm
Sarah Discaya affixes her signature on a Letter of Authority (LOA) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged ghost flood control projects on Monday. Sarah Discaya affixes her signature on a Letter of Authority (LOA) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged ghost flood control projects on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025.
The STAR / Jesse Bustos
MANILA, Philippines — The “fear” expressed by contractor Sarah Discaya is a consequence of her own actions, the Office of the Ombudsman said.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano made the remark on Thursday, December 11, in response to Discaya’s interview with ABS-CBN News, where she said she surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) because she felt safer there.
"Sana'y naisip niya ang kinabukasan ng milyon-milyong Pilipinong inilagay sa peligro nang ilihis ang pondo para sa mga proyektong dapat nagpoprotekta sa kanila laban sa baha," Clavano said in a message to reporters.
(She should have considered the future of the millions of Filipinos who were put at risk when the funds for projects that should protect them against floods were diverted.)
"May karapatan siyang sa due process — pero hindi puwedeng gawing palusot ang takot para takasan ang pananagutan. The consequences are here because the choices were hers," he added.
(She has the right to due process — but fear cannot be used as an excuse to escape accountability. The consequences are here because the choices were hers.)
On December 10, in an interview with ABS-CBN News, Discaya said she went to the NBI because she felt “safe.” However, she insisted that her appearance there was not a form of surrender.
"Hindi naman ito more of 'sumuko.' Para rin itong safekeeping… Ang tumatakas lang, may kasalanan," Discaya said, according to an ABS-CBN News report.
(This is not really more of 'surrender.' This is also like safekeeping... Only those with guilt run away)
Discaya went to the NBI after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that a warrant of arrest would be issued against her and her co-accused in the malversation and falsification of public documents case involving a P96.5-million ghost project.
