Court sends Sarah Discaya, DPWH engineers to Lapu-Lapu City Jail over ₱96.5-M scam

Contractor Sarah Discaya and eight engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are now behind bars after being implicated in a ₱96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental.

Discaya was escorted by NBI-Central Visayas agents upon her arrival at Mactan Cebu International Airport late Friday night, December 19. Within hours, she and her co-accused were hauled before the Lapu-Lapu City court and ordered detained.

Judge Nelson Leyco of RTC Branch 27 immediately issued a commitment order, sealing the suspects’ fate. After medical examinations, the accused were thrown into the Lapu-Lapu City Jail at around 2:00 a.m. Saturday.

No VIP treatment.

No air-conditioned cells.

No special rooms.

The Department of Justice issued a hardline order: treat them like ordinary criminals.

“There is no special treatment. They will stay with regular detainees,” stressed NBI-7 Director Renan Oliva, citing the direct order of Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida.

Discaya and two other female suspects were placed in the female dormitory, while the six male engineers were locked up in the male dormitory.

Another accused, Maria Roma Rimando, president of Saint Timothy Construction Corp., owned by Discaya, is expected to be transferred to Cebu. Rimando is currently under custody in Pasig City after surrendering to authorities.

Authorities said the arraignment is set for January 2026, with more charges possibly looming. If additional cases are filed, the accused may be forced to face hearings via online video conference still from behind bars.