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Daphne Galvez - The Philippine Star
December 11, 2025 | 12:00am
Controversial government contractor Sarah Discaya answers senators' questions at the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing into anomalous infrastructure projects on Sept. 8, 2025.
Senate SMU / Wendell D. Alinea
MANILA, Philippines — Public works contractor Sarah Discaya’s surrender is part of their legal strategy, her spokesman Cornelio Samaniego III said yesterday.
“We’ve been discussing (the surrender) for a long time to avoid harassment or whatever problem. It’s also difficult when there’s already an arrest warrant; there’d be a bit of a commotion or untoward incident when serving the warrant,” Samaniego told radio dzBB.
Nine of Discaya’s co-accused have also surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The nine, mostly officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways district engineering office in Davao Occidental, “executed letters of voluntary surrender and placed themselves under NBI custody, affirming their intent to face the legal process,” acting NBI Director Angelito Magno said.
Malversation of public funds and graft and corruption charges have been filed against them over the P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Barangay Culaman in Jose Abad Santos town in Davao Occidental.
.The eight public works officials who surrendered on Sunday were district engineer Rodrigo Larete, assistant district engineer Michael Awa, construction section officer-in-charge Joel Lumogdang, project engineer Harold John Villaver, quality assurance section chief Rafael Faunillan, planning and design section chief Josephine Valdez, maintenance section chief Ranulfo Flores and finance section chief Czar Ryan Ubungen.
Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, executive officer of the Discaya-owned St. Timothy Construction, surrendered to Pasig police on Tuesday.
The Discayas are implicated in anomalous flood control projects.
Sarah’s husband Curlee has been detained at the Senate since September. He has filed a petition before a Pasay court questioning his Senate detention.
Magno said Sarah turned herself in ahead of an arrest warrant expected this week.
“She appeared in the morning and asked to be placed under our jurisdiction without delay,” Magno said. – EJ Macababbad, Emmanuel Tupas
