Sarah Discaya, 8 DPWH-Davao execs: Arraignment set for January 5

CEBU, Philippines — Arraignment of detained Sarah Discaya, flood control project contractor, and eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Occidental District Engineering Office is scheduled for January 5 next year at the Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) confirmed this to reporters, adding that the nine accused are currently detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail while waiting for their day in court.

NBI-7 Regional Director Renan Augustus Oliva stressed that “no special treatment” will be given to Discaya and the eight DPWH engineers. They will be treated the same as the other detainees inside the local detention facility.

“Walang special room for them. Kasama sila sa lahat ng detainees sa Lapu-Lapu (City) ... Walang special treatment. Treat them as ordinary criminals,” Oliva told the reporters yesterday (December 20).

The detention setup was agreed upon between the NBI-7 and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penalogy-7, following the order of Department of Justice acting Secretary Fredderick Vida.

The Lapu-Lapu City Jail, which is under the BJMP, will decide on the sorting arrangement of the three female and six male inmates inside their respective dormitories of the jail, Oliva said.

The venue of the cases against Discaya and the eight DPWH engineers was transferred from the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Digos City to the Lapu-Lapu City RTC, which was the one that issued the arrest warrants against them in connection with the alleged P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

The said warrants were signed and issued on December 18 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu by RTC-Branch 27 Presiding Judge Nelson G. Leyco, who ordered the arrest of the accused charged with malversation of public funds or property through falsification of public documents.

On December 19, Discaya was brought from Manila to Cebu. She arrived at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, where she was escorted by the NBI-7 to Lapu-Lapu City for commitment to jail.

Meanwhile, the eight DPWH officials also arrived Cebu by pairs from Davao Occidental, an arrangement in compliance with airlines’ limitations, but had caused their delayed flights that ran up until evening, Oliva said.

“Out of the eight DPWH engineers from Davao [Occidental], only two each per flight were allowed by the airlines. So, we have to wait from morning until about 10 o’clock in the evening for them to arrive,” he said.

After all the accused arrived Cebu, NBI-7 brought them to court and to the hospital for routine checkup of their health condition.

Oliva also explained that the delay during the medical examination process was because doctors have some concerns about the two female DPWH engineers who have high blood pressure at the time.

When asked about the assessment of the turnover of Discaya and the eight involved in the flood control scandal, Oliva said that it was concluded smoothly.

Oliva also thanked BJMP officials of Lapu-Lapu City for their patience in assisting and ensuring the security for the turn over which was completed early at 2 a.m. yesterday (December 20).

“From morning to morning, natapos natin yung task, na-accomplish natin, walang nangyari, (at) safe ang lahat. So again, thank you very much,” he said.

Furthermore, Oliva also disclosed that one other accused named Maria Roma Rimando, the company president of Discaya-owned St. Timothy Construction, is also expected to be turned over in Lapu-Lapu City anytime soon.

Rimando, who is Discaya’s niece, previously surrendered before the police authorities in Pasig City on the night of December 18 in connection of her alleged involvement in the flood control project scandal. — (FREEMAN)