Sarah Discaya, 9 others plead not guilty to graft, malversation raps

Contractor Sarah Discaya and nine other co-accused on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to graft and malversation of funds charges filed against them before a Cebu court, Super Radyo dzBB reported.

Super Radyo Cebu's Norman Mendoza reported that Discaya, Maria Roma Rimando, and eight Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers were arraigned at the Lapu-Lapu Regional Trial Court Branch 27.

The arraignment proceeded after the court dismissed the motion to quash information and motion to transfer custody of the 10 accused back to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). 

Meanwhile, Atty. Paul Sato, legal counsel of the DPWH officials, said that Joel Lumogdang, chief of Construction Section of DPWH Davao Occidental (officer-in-charge capacity) retired on May 16, 2025. 

Further, Atty. Joseph Randi Torregosa presented that his client, Rodrigo Larete, is also a retiree. However, because Torregosa has yet to present documents to prove that Larete has already retired from the service, it is only Lumogdang that the court did not place under preventive suspension. 

The pre-trial is set on February 3, 2026. 

None of the accused gave a statement to members of the media. 

The charges were in connection to the the P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental. Discaya is the owner of St. Timothy Construction, the firm behind the controversial project.

In early December 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges against Discaya with the Digos Regional Trial Court. The charges have since been transferred to the Lapu-lapu Regional Trial Court.

She was transferred to the Lapu-Lapu City Jail from the National Bureau of Investigation detention facility in Muntinlupa City on December 19. —Joahna Lei Casilao, with a report from GMA Regional TV/AOL, GMA Integrated News