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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Sarah Discaya pre-trial hearing kicks off

Sarah Discaya pre-trial hearing kicks off

Published Feb 28, 2026 05:09 pm
CEBU CITY – The pre-trial hearing on the alleged P96.5-million flood control ghost project case against contractor Sarah Discaya and her fellow accused kicked off on Friday, Feb. 27.
Corporate affiliations, bidding records, and documents were tackled during the hearing at the sala of Judge Nelson Leyco of Regional Trial Court Branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City.
The court heard charges against Discaya, Saint Timothy Construction president Maria Roma Rimando, and eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Davao Occidental District Engineering Office over a two-kilometer revetment project in Davao Occidental that was said to be non-existence.
The accused are facing violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and malversation of public funds through falsification of commercial documents.
Accused DPWH officials were Rodrigo Larete, Michael Awa, Joel Lumogdang, Harold John Villaver, Jafael Faunillian, Josephine Valdez, Ranulfo Flores, and Czar Ryan Ubungen, who all attended via online conferencing from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Lapu-Lapu City.
Ombudsman officer-in-charge for Preliminary Investigation Jess Vincent A. dela Peña presented at least 54 proposed stipulations, including signatories and documents related to the project, but the defense denied most of the stipulations.
Prosecutors are looking to prove corporate links between Saint Timothy Construction, Saint Gerard Construction, and Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp.
They cited Securities and Exchange Commission filings showing that they allegedly share the same address in Pasig City, common email, identical contact numbers, and the same contact persons in their general information sheets and annual financial statements.
In one of the stipulations, Rimando, Discaya, and Discaya’s husband, Curlee, were accused of being stakeholders in all three companies.
Discaya’s counsel, Angela Marie Almabis, claimed her client is only affiliated with Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp.
Interviewed by reporters after the hearing, defense lawyers insisted that the project in question exists.
Joseph Randi Torregosa, counsel for Larete, said they would request an inspection “to settle the issue once and for all.”
The continuation of the pre-trial was scheduled on March 10.

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Sarah Discaya Lapu-Lapu City
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