Discaya, DPWH officials plead ‘not guilty’ to graft, malversation in Davao Occidental ghost project case

Contractor Sarah Discaya and eight Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) executives entered a not guilty plea to graft and malversation charges involving a flood control project case in Davao Occidental on Jan. 13.

Discaya entered her plea during her arraignment before the Regional Trial Court Branch 27 of Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu. 

Alongside her, the court read the criminal charges to Maria Roma Angeline Rimando of St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and eight personnel from the DPWH-Davao Occidental District Engineering Office in the hearing.

The charges filed include alleged malversation of public funds and alleged violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. 

Authorities reported that documentation was allegedly falsified to release P96 million in public funds, making it appear as though the unfinished or non-existent projects had been successfully completed. 

The accused denied the charges and maintained that they were innocent before the court.

Prior to the proceedings, the legal team of the accused requested a postponement of the arraignment, stating that they had only received the court’s decision denying their motion to drop the case earlier in the morning. 

The court scheduled the pre-trial conference for Feb. 3, where the prosecution and defense will formally define the legal issues at hand and organize evidence ahead of the trial.

The case is one of the high-profile prosecutions involving alleged corruption anomalies in major government infrastructure projects.