Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATED) - The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday filed graft and malversation charges against St. Timothy Construction owner Sarah Discaya and several public works officials, among others, over an alleged “ghost” infrastructure project worth P96.5 million in Davao Occidental.</p><p>The prosecution recommended no bail for the case of malversation, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano added during a press briefing on Friday.</p><p>Criminal information was filed before the Digos City Regional Trial Court (RTC)  around 2:15 p.m., he said.</p><p>“‘Yung pinakamataas po dito na salary grade ay 25– district engineer po ng DPWH Davao Occidental. Now it is still possible that there are proponents in this case that have yet to be uncovered, but as of right now, and given the counter-affidavits of the respondents, wala pa po tayo nakikita. So we went ahead and filed the case, but that does not stop us from collecting more evidence that will show that there are proponents or higher officials involved in this case,” Clavano said.</p><p>“This filing marks the second major case acted upon by our office following the series of infrastructure corruption allegations raised this year. As I have stated before, this is only the beginning. There are multiple cases currently undergoing preliminary investigation and even more under active fact-finding,” Clavano added.</p><p>The Ombudsman also recently filed graft and malversation charges against former congressman Zaldy Co and other individuals in relation to alleged anomalies in flood control projects.</p><p>Respondents allegedly conspired for the release of P96.5 million to construct a revetment project in Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental, which “was never implemented.”</p><p>“There was no actual construction yet respondents certified that the project was completed. They are found to have falsified accomplishment reports, issued fraudulent billing documents, and endorsed disbursement vouchers that triggered the release of the entire project cost,” Clavano said.</p><p>According to Clavano, such details were confirmed during the Criminal and Investigation and Detection Group’s (CIDG) inspection, which also showed works started only after the flood control issue became public.</p><p>The respondents mentioned by Clavano are listed below: District Engineer Rodrigo C. Larete, Assistant District Engineer Michael P. Awa, Several Section Chiefs, Project Engineers, and Inspectors of the DPWH Davao Occidental District Engineering Office, and Private individuals, Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando and Cezarah Rowena Discaya, of St. Timothy Construction Corporation</p><div> </div><div><strong>PREVENTIVE SUSPENSION</strong></div><p>Eight DPWH Davao Occidental officials allegedly involved are preventively suspended for six months as a provisional remedy so officials involved “cannot and will not tamper with any evidence that may be found in their offices,” Clavano told the media.</p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman served the administrative case resolution on this to the office of DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon.</p><p>The officials involved also face administrative cases over grave misconduct and serious dishonesty, according to Clavano.</p><p>“Wherefore, in accordance with Section 9 of Administrative Order No. 17 amending Rule 3 of Administrative Order No. 7, Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman and Section 24 of Republic Act 6770 or otherwise known as the Ombudsman Act of 1989, respondents Rodrigo C. Larete, Michael P. Awa, Joel M. Lumogdang, Harold John E. Villaver, Jafel C. Faunillan, Josephine C. Valdez, Ranulfo A. Flores, and Czar Ryan S. Ubungen are hereby placed under preventive suspension without pay until administrative adjudication on these cases is terminated, but not to exceed 6 months, except when the delay in the disposition of the cases is due to their negligence, fault, or petition, the period of which shall not be counted in computing the period of preventive suspension,” Clavano said.</p><p>Hold departure orders (HDO) are also being prepared against the Discayas and other respondents, according to the assistant ombudsman.</p><p>“The hold departure order requests are being prepared so that we can already request the courts for that,” Clavano said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>NBI READY TO MAKE ARREST</strong></div><div> </div><p>On the order of the President to prepare for the possible arrest of Discaya, NBI Director Atty. Lito Magno says they will be ready.</p><p>“Ang NBI po, kahit anong oras ay handa itong magpatupad ng batas,” Magno says once a court issues a warrant and the documents are in their hands, the NBI is ready to enforce the order.</p><p>The NBI’s statement comes as the PNP confirms readiness to serve arrest warrants in connection with the alleged “ghost flood-control project” in Davao Occidental. Authorities reiterate strict adherence to due process and human rights.</p><p>The PNP and NBI vow full cooperation with ongoing government investigations and urge citizens with relevant information to come forward. Both agencies stress transparency and public participation in ensuring accountability.</p>

<p>The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday filed graft and malversation charges against St. Timothy Construction owner Sarah Discaya and several public works officials, among others, over an alleged “ghost” infrastructure project worth P96.5 million in Davao Occidental.</p>

The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday filed graft and malversation charges against St. Timothy Construction owner Sarah Discaya and several public works officials, among others, over an alleged “ghost” infrastructure project worth P96.5 million in Davao Occidental.

Raps filed vs. Sarah Discaya, several DPWH officials over ‘ghost’ project

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Raps filed vs. Sarah Discaya, several DPWH officials over ‘ghost’ project

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 05, 2025 04:08 PM PHT

|

Updated Dec 05, 2025 07:46 PM PHT

Read More:

Ombudsman

Sara Discaya

Ghost projects

Graft

Malversation

DPWH

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