Businesswoman Sarah Discaya has denied claims that her family’s wealth came solely from deals with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), insisting that a viral video circulating online was edited to misrepresent her.
During a Senate inquiry led by Sen. Tito Sotto, Discaya was asked to explain how she and her family amassed billions after engaging in DPWH projects. In response, she maintained that her remarks in the controversial interview had been “spliced.”
“When I said DPWH, because prior to that we were in local government… They spliced the video that was taken of me and just mentioned the DPWH,” Discaya explained.
Sotto pressed further, asking if she was accusing the television station and the interviewers of deliberately altering her answers.
“I think so, Sir, kasi I did mention that I was doing local government as well as private po,” she replied.
The Discaya family has been under heavy scrutiny following revelations that their companies were tied to questionable flood control projects in Eastern Samar, Bulacan, and Iloilo. Locals have alleged that some projects were either incomplete or barely started despite reports of high completion rates.
Beyond construction, government agencies are also investigating the Discayas’ lifestyle, including their ownership of at least 40 luxury vehicles, with brands ranging from Rolls-Royce and Bentley to Mercedes-Maybach. The Bureau of Customs is reportedly examining whether proper taxes were declared on the collection.
Meanwhile, journalism experts have criticized the media for previously allowing the Discayas to appear in lifestyle features without asking tougher questions about the sources of their sudden wealth. Commentaries, including one from VERA Files, have called for deeper accountability and even possible asset seizures.
