YEARENDER: Flood control cases, complaints, referrals filed in 2025

Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s warning against officials pocketing public funds during his State of the Nation Address, the country is now facing what may be the biggest controversy under his administration: a flood control scandal allegedly involving multiple public officials.

Five months after the investigation began, GMA News Online listed the referrals, complaints, and cases filed so far.

Oriental Mindoro — P289 million project

In November, the Office of the Ombudsman filed corruption and malversation of public funds charges against former lawmaker Zaldy Co and others over an alleged P289 million anomalous flood control project in Oriental Mindoro.

This is the sole case filed with the Sandiganbayan so far.

The project involves a P289 million road dike along the Mag-Asawang Tubig River in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. It was funded under the 2024 national budget of the DPWH. 

The case stemmed from the referral of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to the Ombudsman. The ICI said that the DPWH Region IV-B implemented the flood management project through contractor Sunwest Inc., which has historical links to Co.

According to the ICI, the government lost around P63 million over the project due to substandard and unaligned materials.

In December, the Sandiganbayan declared Co a “fugitive from justice” and ordered the cancellation of his passport.

Meanwhile, the nine DPWH officials pleaded not guilty to the malversation charges against them.

Davao Occidental – P96.5 million

At the center of a P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental is embattled contractor Cezarah “Sara” Discaya, one of the key figures in the ongoing flood control controversy.

Discaya and her husband, Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya, own St. Timothy Construction, the firm behind the controversial project. Also charged in the case is Maria Roma Rimando, the company’s president.

In early December, the Ombudsman filed corruption and malversation of public funds charges against Discaya and Rimando before the Digos Regional Trial Court. The case was later transferred to the Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court. 

Malversation of public funds is a non-bailable offense.

Aside from Discaya and Rimando, the anti-graft body also recommended the filing of charges against eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Occidental District Engineering Office over their alleged involvement in the project.

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

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the issuance of arrest warrants against Discaya and her co-accused in a video message, saying the investigation stemmed from a DPWH complaint involving a flood control project in Barangay Culaman, Jose Abad Santos town.

An inspection conducted by the Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) found that the project, which was awarded to St. Timothy Construction in 2022, was never implemented, contrary to documents submitted by the contractor.

In a statement by the legal counsel of seven of the eight DPWH officials, the district engineers denied that the concrete revetment project in Barangay Culaman is a “ghost” project and stated that it is operational. They also described their clients as “collateral damage" in the country's flood control project controversy. 

On December 19, Discaya was flown to Cebu from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Pasay City, a day after she was formally served an arrest warrant issued by RTC Branch 27. She had earlier surrendered to the NBI in anticipation of the warrant and was temporarily held at the NBI detention facility in Muntinlupa after processing.

Discaya and her co-accused arrived separately at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport on the evening of December 19 and were immediately brought to RTC Branch 27 upon arrival. They were committed to the Lapu-Lapu City Jail on December 20, 2025.

Referrals and recommendations

Aside from the cases already filed in courts, the ICI also made several referrals to the Ombudsman, either to recommend the filing of charges or to further investigate the alleged involvement of some government officials in the corruption.

The ICI’s first referral to the Ombudsman was filed on September 29 against Co, which later resulted in the filing of a case against him with the Sandiganbayan

Meanwhile, in its second referral filed October 29, the ICI asked the Ombudsman to file plunder, bribery, and corruption complaints against Co, Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada, former representative Mitch Cajayon, and Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, among others.

ICI chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. said the operation involved a list of projects that will be included either in the National Expenditure Program or given to the proponent itself, who will then insert the projects to the HHouse General Appropriations Bill or bicameral insertions.

On November 4, the ICI amended its second referral to include former Bulacan 1st District assistant engineers Brice Hernandez and Jaypee Mendoza, and former Bulacan 1st District engineer Henry Alcantara.

The ICI noted that they previously testified to receiving kickbacks from flood control projects in their jurisdiction.

Aside from this, the commission alleged that the three engineers committed the crime of corruption of public officers for paying advances to lawmakers.

On November 13, the ICI filed its third referral over a P74 million non-existent flood control project in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

The ICI said that the results of the COA technical inspection, together with the available records, showed that the project was never implemented, despite the release and full payment of the contract cost by the DPWH to contractor Darcy & Anna Builders & Trading.

It asked the Ombudsman to assess whether there are possible violations of the Code of Conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees may exist on the part of former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

It also recommended an administrative complaint against Bonoan, former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and Maria Catalina Cabral.

Aside from this, the ICI recommended the filing of graft, malversation, and falsification against Alcantara, Hernandez, Ernesto Galang, Jolo Mari Tayao, John Michael Ramos, Lemuel Ephraim Roque as well as Darcy Kimel Respecio of Darcy & Anna Builders and Trading.

The fourth referral of the commission was filed on November 21. 

The ICI said its recommendation for Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was for further investigation, and was "issued without any finding or conclusion of guilt or liability on the part of former Speaker Romualdez.”

It was earlier reported that the ICI and the DPWH already recommended the filing of plunder, graft, and bribery charges against Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co.

However, the ICI later said there were two referrals.

Meanwhile, the fifth and last ICI referral for the year was filed on December 3, where the ICI recommended the filing of direct or indirect bribery, corruption of public officials, and plunder charges against former Senator Bong Revilla, businessman Maynard Ngu, and other individuals.

Others recommended to be charged were Carleen Villa, Gerard Opulencia, Manny Bulusan, Ruel Umali, Gene Ryan Altea, J.Y. Dela Rosa, Mrs. Patron, and Carlo Aguilar. 

The ICI recommended to the Ombudsman to conduct further investigation on the alleged involvement of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, former senator Nancy Binay, former Senate finance chairperson Grace Poe, and Senator and former DPWH secretary Mark Villar in anomalous flood control projects.

Aside from the ICI, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on October 14 recommended that the Ombudsman to file graft, malversation, perjury and falsification of public documents charges against DPWH officials of the Bulacan First District Engineering Office and contractors involved in five flood control projects.

The Ombudsman later deputized the DOJ for the prosecution of these complaints.

The DOJ said that three of the five complaints have been submitted for resolution.—LDF, GMA Integrated News