Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced Friday that controversial contractor Cezarah Rowena 'Sarah' Discaya and other personalities will face criminal charges in connection with the 'ghost' flood control project in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental. In a video message, Marcos said the Office of the Ombudsman has recommended the filing of malversation through falsification and violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
According to Philippines News Agency, apart from Discaya, other respondents were Ma. Roma Angeline Remando, representatives of St. Timothy Construction Corp., as well as several personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Marcos noted. Citing the Ombudsman's findings on the alleged ghost flood-control project in Culaman, Jose Abad Santos involving nearly PHP100 million in public funds, Marcos said the project was awarded to St. Timothy Construction Corporation on Jan. 13, 2022, and was declared 'completed' in the same year but was never started.
Marcos said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group found no trace of construction at the project site during its inspection conducted on Sept. 25. He added that indigenous peoples' representatives and village officials also executed a joint affidavit confirming that no implementation of the project took place.
Marcos detailed that the Ombudsman discovered falsified final billings, certificates of completion, and inspection reports that did not match the actual conditions of the project. Video and photo materials presented by respondents lacked timestamps and could not be validated as evidence of work done.
The Ombudsman also found that the respondents authorized and approved documents used to request and release the full project amount despite the absence of any completed or initiated work. Marcos said the respondents acted with manifest partiality, bad faith, or gross negligence, causing undue injury to the government and granting unwarranted benefits to the contractor, with some private respondents implicated in alleged collusion.
With malversation classified as a non-bailable offense, the judiciary is expected to issue arrest warrants against Discaya and other individuals, Marcos stated. He directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to secure the whereabouts of Discaya and the other respondents to ensure their immediate arrest once warrants are released.
Marcos emphasized this is just the beginning, indicating that more cases linked to irregular flood-control projects may follow. He stated that many more individuals will face imprisonment and spend Christmas in jail.
In a statement, the DILG assured the public it is closely monitoring the whereabouts of the accused. The DILG emphasized that those involved will be held accountable and justice will be served to those who commit corruption and malfeasance.
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. acknowledged the President's recent disclosure about the 'ghost flood-control project' in Davao Occidental. He stated that the PNP is committed to ensuring that justice is pursued, public funds are safeguarded, and all accountable individuals are brought before the law. The PNP is ready to serve the warrants of arrest once issued by the Court, with full adherence to due process, respect for human rights, and the presumption of innocence.
Nartatez added that the PNP supports the ongoing investigations led by concerned government agencies and is ready to assist in evidence-gathering and other processes. He encouraged citizens with direct knowledge or relevant information to cooperate with authorities, emphasizing that transparency and community involvement are vital for accountability and protecting public resources.
