MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Tuesday that an arrest warrant for Sarah Discaya, a key contractor implicated in the P20-billion flood control scandal, is expected to be issued within the week, with her apprehension to follow swiftly. The development, shared via a video report on Marcos’ social media accounts, underscores the administration’s accelerated push for accountability in the graft-riddled projects that have left communities vulnerable to typhoons.
“Inaasahan na din nating lalabas ang warrant of arrest ni Sarah Discaya itong linggong ito at hindi na rin magtatagal ang pag-aresto sa kanya,” Marcos stated in Filipino, translating to: “We are also expecting Sarah Discaya’s warrant of arrest to be issued this week, and it won’t be long before she gets arrested.” The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft and malversation charges against Discaya and several others, stemming from a P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, which was declared completed and fully paid in 2022 despite no work being done.
Discaya’s husband, Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II, remains in Senate detention after being cited for contempt for allegedly lying and providing inconsistent statements during a House hearing on the scandal. Last Friday, Marcos directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to monitor Discaya and other suspects facing anti-graft and malversation raps. The PNP has mobilized its intelligence units and tracker teams to locate her and others involved.
In a related move, eight Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials from Davao Occidental submitted a letter of intent to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), expressing willingness to surrender. The scandal, involving ghost projects, substandard dikes, and alleged kickbacks, has triggered widespread outrage, including the Trillion Peso March, and prompted the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to file multiple cases against lawmakers, officials, and contractors.
Marcos’ update signals intensified action, with the DOJ set to handle preliminary investigations. For communities still reeling from Typhoon Uwan’s unmitigated wrath, the promise of warrants feels like a long-overdue dam breaking – one that could finally stem the flood of impunity.