NBI confirms surrender of Sarah Discaya

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Acting Director Lito Magno on Wednesday confirmed the surrender of contractor Sarah Discaya.

Magno said Discaya appeared at the NBI headquarters in Pasay City on Tuesday following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s announcement that an arrest warrant against her was expected this week.

“She appeared in the morning and asked to be placed under our jurisdiction without delay,” Magno said in a statement.

Discaya’s legal counsel, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, has said that her surrender was a “strategic legal move” and not an admission of wrongdoing.

The Ombudsman has filed malversation and corruption charges against Discaya and others over a P96.5-million ghost flood control project in the province in Davao Occidental.

Supreme Court spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said the two complaints were filed with the Malita, Davao Occidental Regional Trial Court (RTC).

She said this was received by the Digos RTC, which shares the same office.

“The cases were immediately transmitted to the RTC, Malita, and are awaiting transfer to the special court handling anti-graft cases of the nearest region,” she said in a statement.

The charges were initially filed with the Digos Regional Trial Court.

However, according to the Supreme Court, the cases were transmitted to a court in Malita, Davao Occidental.

Aside from Discaya, Magno said that eight Public Works and Highways officials implicated in the Culaman Flood Control case also voluntarily surrendered to the NBI SEMRO XI on December 7.

“All eight officials executed letters of voluntary surrender and placed themselves under NBI custody, affirming their intent to face the legal process,” Magno said. — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News