Raps filed vs Discayas, DPWH execs
DISCAYAS COMPOSITE IMAGE FROM INQUIRER FILE
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday filed graft and malversation charges against contractors Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and his wife Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, and former and current Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials for alleged anomalies in a government project in Calumpit, Bulacan, worth P53.9 million.
The case was filed in the Malolos, Bulacan Regional Trial Court (RTC) instead of the Sandiganbayan since the salary grade of the public officials involved falls within the jurisdiction of RTCs.
Aside from the Discayas, who the antigraft body said were the beneficial owners of St. Timothy Construction Corp., also charged were the company’s managing officer, Ma. Angeline Discaya Rimando, and former and current DPWH officials Merg Jaron Caparas Laus, Brice Ericson Diaz Hernandez, Jaypee De Leon Mendoza, Ernesto Cosay Galang, Norberto De Leon Santos, Lorenzo Alcoriza Pagtalunan, Juanito Coronel Mendoza, and Floralyn Yutuc Simbulan.
The case was based on the rehabilitation of a river construction structure in Calumpit town under DPWH Contract ID No. 22CC0058.
READ: The Discayas: An inspirational tale or a ‘rob-to-riches’ story?
Disregard for law
The Office of the Ombudsman said in a statement the findings of its investigators revealed “an utter and flagrant disregard for government auditing and accounting regulations.”
This was after their discovery that payments for the project’s first billing were released despite an unapproved disbursement voucher. On top of this, full payments for dredging and embankment items were also made without any basis for computation or the necessary supporting documents required to prove project accomplishment.
These actions, the Ombudsman said, led to an “unwarranted benefit” for St. Timothy Construction Corp. totaling over P53.9 million that caused “significant financial injury to the government.”
READ: Keeping up with the Discayas
The recommended bail for the graft charge was set at P90,000 for each of the accused, while no bail has been recommended for the complex crime of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.
Sarah Discaya is being held at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail in Cebu for another graft and malversation case over a P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
Her husband, on the other hand, has been detained at the Senate since September after he was cited in contempt over his alleged refusal to cooperate with its investigation into the flood control mess. /cb
