Manila: Senators on Monday raised suspicions that construction companies owned by businesswoman Sarah Discaya and her relatives were being favored in bidding for flood control and other infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). During the continuation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's inquiry into alleged anomalous flood control projects, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada pressed Discaya to explain how her family's nine companies were consistently winning government contracts.
According to Philippines News Agency, records presented at the hearing showed that Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corporation alone secured 71 flood control projects in 2022 out of 491 bidding attempts, while St. Timothy Construction Corporation, managed by a relative, bagged 145 projects since 2022. Estrada questioned why Discaya firms seemed to corner hundreds of contracts, raising concerns that they might have been given early access to project listings from DPWH insiders.
Estrada expressed his puzzlement over the situation, questioning who at DPWH might be providing project lists for bidding to Discaya's companies. Discaya denied having special access and insisted that her companies only participated in public biddings posted on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), the government's online procurement platform. She stated that her companies engage in bidding they are qualified for, without any inside connections at DPWH.
Despite having only about 200 employees, Discaya's firms managed to implement nearly 500 projects in a year, a point raised by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros. Hontiveros questioned whether the firms were renting out their licenses to boost capacity. She also presented nine calling cards linked to Pacifico 'Curly' Discaya, Sarah's husband, showing his name tied to several of the companies, highlighting the family's control over multiple firms participating in the same pool of DPWH projects.
Estrada warned Discaya against evading questions and demanded that she submit documentation and photos proving the completion of more than 400 projects claimed since 2022. He emphasized the importance of truthfulness and accountability under the law and before the people.
The inquiry, chaired by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, is scrutinizing alleged ghost and substandard projects under the government's flood control program, with senators expressing concerns that billions in public funds may have been misused.
