MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday afternoon said they were ready to arrest St. Timothy Construction executive Sarah Discaya and others.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier announced the Ombudsman has recommended graft and malversation charges against Discaya and St. Timothy president Ma. Roma Angeline Romando as well as several unnamed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials.
“The Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police are ready to arrest the individuals responsible for the ghost flood control project in Culaman, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental,” the department statement, written in Filipino, said.
“The DILG assures that it is monitoring the whereabouts of the people who will face cases of malversation through falsification and violation of Republic Act 3019, Section 3(e). If the court issues a warrant of arrest, we will immediately take them into custody and make them face justice,” it stressed.
RA No. 3019 is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The graft and malversation cases against Discaya, Romando and the DPWH officials are in connection with an allegedly anomalous P96.5-million flood control project in Barangay Culaman in Jose Abad Santos town, Davao Occidental province.
In its own statement also on Friday afternoon, the PNP said it was taking Marcos’ pronouncements with “utmost seriousness.”
“All actions will be carried out with full adherence to due process, respect for human rights, and the presumption of innocence,” acting PNP chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in the statement.
“We encourage citizens, particularly those with direct knowledge or relevant information, to cooperate with authorities. Transparency and community involvement are vital to ensuring accountability and protecting public resources,” it added.
The PNP is an attached agency of the DILG.
