Arrest warrants were served Thursday night against businesswoman Sarah Discaya in connection with an allegedly fictitious flood control project in Davao Occidental valued at P96.5 million, the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed.
The NBI said two separate warrants were implemented against Discaya, days after the Office of the Ombudsman filed criminal charges before a regional trial court in Digos City on December 5, 2025.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier disclosed that a local court had ordered the arrest of Discaya and nine other individuals over the questioned revetment project in the municipality of Jose Abad Santos, which investigators said was funded but never carried out.
In a recorded statement, Marcos said those implicated are charged with graft and malversation, stressing that the cases do not allow provisional liberty. “Ang mga akusado ay nahaharap sa kasong graft at malversation, ito pong mga kasong ito hindi po bailable ito, hindi pwedeng bayaran ang kanyang…para sila’y malalabas sa kulungan. Kabilang na po rito si Sarah Discaya na sa kasalukuyan ay nasa kustodiya ng NBI,” he said.
The President also revealed that eight officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways have signified their intention to surrender in relation to the same case. “Ito po ay patuloy naming gagawin at simula lang po ito at patuloy naming iimbestigahan at kakasuhan lahat po ng may kinalaman sa mga iskandalo na nakikita natin sa mga flood control project,” Marcos added.
According to the Ombudsman, the respondents allegedly acted in concert to facilitate the release of public funds for the supposed flood mitigation project, which authorities later determined was not implemented on the ground.
Discaya had already placed herself under NBI custody last week, prior to the issuance of the warrants, citing security concerns as the reason for her voluntary surrender.
