THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed intelligence and tracker teams to locate and arrest St. Timothy Construction executive Sarah Discaya and other individuals implicated in the alleged ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.
The move follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive on Friday ordering the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to prepare for the serving of arrest warrants against Discaya, St. Timothy president Ma. Roma Angeline Romando, and seven Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials.
“We have mobilized a sufficient number of personnel to locate everyone named in the charge sheet. We are gathering essential information on possible hideouts to ensure a smooth and swift serving of the arrest warrants,” PNP Acting Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said.
“All our preparations are intended to make them realize that surrender is their only option.”
The PNP is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine Coast Guard, airport authorities, local government units, and other watch groups in tracking the suspects. Nartatez also urged the public to cooperate if they have relevant information.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier announced the filing of malversation and graft charges against Discaya, Romando, and several DPWH officials, including District Engineer Rodrigo Larete and eight other district personnel.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said investigators found probable cause linked to the alleged P96.5-million ghost infrastructure project in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.
The project—supposedly a concrete revetment awarded to St. Timothy Construction on January 22, 2022—was reported as “completed” by October of the same year but was never implemented, based on government inspections and witness accounts.
