Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., yesterday mobilized intelligence and tracker teams to determine the whereabouts of Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya and several other individuals accused of involvement in an alleged “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
This was done in anticipation of the issuance of arrest warrants after the Office of the Ombudsman filed malversation through falsification and graft charges against those involved in the P96.5-million project before a Digos, Davao del Sur court on Friday.
Pasig City Chief of Police, Col. Hendrix Mangaldan, however said his office is no longer aware of the exact location of Discaya and her husband, Pacifico.
“As to your query, I cannot answer that question, but we will have to validate their whereabouts,” he told Manila Standard in a message.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier ordered Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla and the PNP to locate Discaya and other alleged co-conspirators in the fictitious project to facilitate their immediate arrest once the warrants are released.
“We have mobilized a sufficient number of our personnel who will locate all those in the charge sheet. Right now, we are collating all the essential pieces of information on the areas where they may individually seek refuge to ensure a smooth and fast serving of the arrest warrant,” the Nartatez said.
“All of our preparations are intended to make them feel that the only option left to them is to surrender,” he added.
Aside from Discaya, who is the proprietor of St. Timothy Construction Corporation, other respondents in the case are District Engineer Rodrigo C. Larete, Assistant District Engineer Michael P. Awa, and Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, as well as several Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) section chiefs and project engineers.
Nartatez emphasized that the PNP is treating the case with urgency, explaining that, “The President has given clear and urgent instructions, and we are treating this as a priority case.”
Meanwhile, the PNP has also strengthened coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), airport authorities, and local government units (LGUs), particularly in areas where Discaya may have traveled to or were last seen.
Barangays and neighborhood watch groups have been alerted to help monitor movements and report any relevant information.
“We encourage citizens—particularly those with direct knowledge or relevant information—to cooperate with authorities. Transparency and community involvement are vital to ensuring accountability and protecting public resources,” Nartatez said.
“The PNP remains steadfast in its commitment to the rule of law, professional service, and the fight against corruption. We will continue to serve and protect the Filipino people with fairness, integrity, and dedication,” he added.
The aggressive police preparation, as well as the operations that led to the arrest of at least nine accused in the first case relating to flood control projects, according to Nartatez, is a clear message of support to ongoing investigations into corruption allegations.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Teams sent to track down suspects in Davao ‘ghost projects’”
