Sarah Discaya transported to Cebu, brought to court

Embattled contractor Cezarah "Sarah" Discaya arrived Friday evening in Cebu to face corruption and malversation of funds charges in connection with the P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

Discaya landed at the Mactan Cebu International Airport at past 6 p.m., according to GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak's Lou-Anne Mae Rondina. 

Under tight security, Discaya was transported from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention facility in Muntinlupa City, where she spent the previous evening following her arrest.

From the airport, Discaya was immediately brought to the Regional Trial Court, Seventh Judicial Region, Branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City—the court that issued the arrest warrant against her and other accused over the Davao Occidental flood control project. 

On Thursday, the NBI arrested the contractor after they formally served the court-issued warrant of arrest.

Video by GMA Integrated News' John Consulta showed a heavily guarded Discaya being escorted out of the NBI detention facility on Friday as she was scheduled to leave for Cebu at about 4:10 p.m.

Meanwhile, GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak's  Lou-Anne Mae Rondina reported that two of the eight DPWH engineers involved in the "ghost" project also arrived in Cebu earlier in the day. They were taken from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport to the RTC Branch 27.

Four more DPWH Davao Occidental engineers were expected to arrive on Friday. 

In early December, the Ombudsman filed charges against Discaya before the Digos Regional Trial Court. The charges have since been transferred to the Lapu-lapu Regional Trial Court.

Malversation of public funds is a non-bailable offense.

Aside from Discaya, the Ombudsman also charged contractor Maria Roma Rimando and DPWH Davao Occidental District Engineering Office officers.

The other accused are:

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

Discaya is the owner of St. Timothy Construction, the firm behind the controversial project. Rimando, meanwhile, is the president of the construction firm.

Tax evasion case

In a related development, Prosecutor General Richard "Dong" Fadullon said Discaya arrived at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila City earlier in the day to submit a rejoinder on the multiple tax cases filed against her and her husband, Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya.

Curlee arrived separately at the DOJ. He was accompanied by the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms as he has been detained at the Senate after he was cited in contempt by the upper chamber's blue ribbon committee.

"We confirm that Ms. Sarah Discaya was here this morning. This is in relation to a tax evasion case na kaniyang kinahaharap. 'Yun ay para sa submission ng kaniyang rejoinder," said Fadullon.

(We confirm that Ms. Sarah Discaya was here this morning. This is in relation to a tax evasion case that she is facing. This is for the submission of her rejoineder.)

"The case has been submitted for resolution. You can expect [that] by next week, we will have the resolution out already, he added. — VDV, GMA Integrated News