After the surrender of Sarah Discaya, eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao Occidental—Rodrigo Larete, Michael Awa, Joel Lumogdang, Harold John Villaver, Rafael Faunillan, Josephine Valdez, Ranulfo Flores, and Czar Ryan Ubungen—also turned themselves in to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
They are facing graft and malversation charges over a P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Jose Abad Santos town that was declared completed and paid for in 2022 despite no actual work being done.
NBI Director Angelito Magno confirmed that all eight officials submitted letters of voluntary surrender, expressing their intent to face the legal process. The questioned project was awarded to St. Timothy Construction Corp.
Discaya’s niece and coaccused, Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, president of St. Timothy, had earlier surrendered to Pasig police. The Ombudsman recommended no bail for the respondents, although a warrant for Discaya’s arrest has yet to be released.
Magno said she will remain under NBI custody unless she chooses to leave, emphasizing that the bureau will enforce the law “fairly and firmly.”
