PNP: Manhunt vs Sarah Discaya co-accused begins

A nationwide manhunt for the remaining co-accused of contractor Sarah Discaya has been launched, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday.

This is following the issuance of arrest warrants against them on Thursday for the malversation and corruption cases in connection with their supposed anomalous P96.5-million flood control project in Davao Occidental.

In a statement, PNP acting chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the organization is coordinating closely with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for their arrests.

“Our units and tracker teams have already started working to serve the arrest warrant against all the respondents in this case,” Nartatez said.

“With the preparations that we did and the coordination with other law enforcement agencies, we are confident of locating and accounting all of them in the soonest possible time,” he added.

So far, St. Timothy Construction owner Discaya and president Maria Roma Rimando are in police custody.

In early December, the Office of the Ombudsman charged Discaya, Rimando, and former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao Occidental. 

Among those charged are the following DPWH Davao Occidental District Engineering Office officials:

• Rodrigo Larete
• Michael Awa
• Joel Lumogdang
• Harold John Villaver
• Jafael Faunillian
• Josephine Valdez
• Ranulfo Flores and
• Czar Ryan Ubungen

Nartatez called on all remaining respondents to surrender to avoid the risks of evading authorities.

“We are giving all the other co-accused of Ms. Sarah Discaya the opportunity to follow what she did by peacefully surrendering,” he said.

“Walang mangyayari sa pagtatago dahil mahuhuli at mahuhuli din kayo (Hiding won't work because you'll get caught anyway),” he added.

The PNP chief also warned the public against providing assistance to the accused amid the manhunt operations.

“We appeal to their friends, relatives and other people to refrain from providing any form of assistance to any of them in order to avoid legal troubles,” Nartatez said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News