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December 6, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — 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.
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 (PNP-CIDG) on Sept. 25 confirmed that no construction had taken place at the site.
The President also noted there were discrepancies in the documents and evidence submitted by the respondents, adding that even the videos and photos provided could not be verified as related to the project.
“The ombudsman found that the submitted final billing, certificate of completion and inspection reports were fake or did not correspond to the actual status of the project. Even the videos and photos presented by the respondent do not have a time stamp and cannot be validated as referring to this project,” the President said.
Based on their findings, the respondents “acted with manifest partiality, bad faith or gross negligence,” Marcos said.
“They caused undue injury to the government and provided unwarranted benefits to the contractor and some private respondents were involved in the collusion that occurred.”
“Malversation is non-bailable. This is serious because they cannot pay for their release. Once these cases are filed in court, the next step for the judiciary is to issue arrest warrants for the named individuals,” Marcos added.
PNP ready to arrest Discaya
Police are ready to arrest Discaya and other officials of her company, St. Timothy Construction, over the ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. had earlier ordered police officers to be ready in the event that warrants of arrest are issued.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said they are monitoring the location of Discaya and other personalities facing malversation cases. “When the courts issue the warrant of arrest, they will be immediately arrested and made to face justice,” Remulla said.
9 firms closed
The Pasig local government has issued a closure order against nine construction firms linked to Sarah and Curlee Discaya on the grounds of unpaid taxes and lack of permits.
The nine construction firms tied to the beleaguered contractors are St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp., Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp., St. Timothy Construction Corp., Amethyst Horizon Builders and General Contractor and Development Corp., St. Matthew General Contractor and Development Corp., Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor Inc., YPR General Contractor and Construction Supply Inc., Way Maker OPC and Elite General Contractor and Development Corp.
Jailed by Christmas
Former DPWH engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza will be in jail by Christmas, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said yesterday.
Dizon said Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told him that cases would be filed soon against the three.
“Ombudsman Boying said that soon there will be case filing at the courts and for sure they will spend Christmas in jail,” Dizon said over radio dzBB. — Emmanuel Tupas, Jose Rodel Clapano, EJ Macababbad, Marc Jayson Cayabyab
