Government contractor Sarah Discaya and nine others have pleaded not guilty to graft and malversation charges over the alleged ₱96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
During their arraignment before Regional Trial Court Branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City, the accused denied conspiring to siphon public funds for a revetment project in Jose Abad Santos that prosecutors said “was never implemented.”
Also entering not guilty pleas were Maria Roma Rimando, president of Discaya-owned St. Timothy Construction, and eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The court scheduled pre-trial on February 3.
Prosecutors allege the group facilitated the release of ₱96.5 million despite no actual construction, causing loss of public funds. Discaya was arrested and detained in December.
The case was transferred to Lapu-Lapu City RTC under a Supreme Court directive assigning infrastructure-related corruption cases to the nearest designated anti-graft court.