Controversial government contractor Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya voluntarily surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday, December 9, ahead of an arrest warrant expected to be issued against her this week in connection with a multi-million-peso flood control anomaly.
Discaya, owner of St. Timothy Construction and other firms, appeared at the NBI headquarters in Pasay City around 10 a.m., accompanied by her legal counsel.
Her pre-emptive surrender came hours after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced that a warrant for her arrest was imminent this week, signaling the government’s resolve in pursuing those involved in widespread corruption in infrastructure projects.
The surrender is tied to criminal charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Discaya and several officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao Occidental. They face non-bailable counts of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents and graft (R.A. 3019).
The charges stem from an alleged P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Barangay Culaman, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental. Authorities discovered the project, which was declared completed and fully paid for in 2022, was non-existent upon inspection.
Discaya and her husband, Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya, have been under intense scrutiny after their construction companies were identified as among a handful that secured a significant portion of government flood control contracts.
While the couple previously expressed interest in becoming state witnesses in the probe, the Office of the Ombudsman reportedly rejected the offer, citing their deep involvement in the alleged anomalies.
In addition to Discaya, several DPWH personnel have reportedly expressed intent to surrender to the NBI to face charges related to the scandal. Discaya is currently at the NBI office as authorities await the formal release of the court-issued arrest warrant.
