Acting Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. urged all other suspects allegedly involved in a ‘ghost’ Davao Occidental flood control project to follow the surrender of government contractor Sarah Discaya.
Discaya surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday, hours after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said she and several others may soon face an arrest warrant for graft and malversation in connection with the project.
‘The Philippine National Police welcomes her (Discaya) decision and it is actually a good decision that people in her situation should emulate,’ Nartatez said in a statement Wednesday.
‘Hiding will not get you anywhere because no matter how long you are able to hide, the fact remains that you are still wanted and could be arrested anytime,’ he added.
Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, president of the Discaya-owned St. Timothy Construction Corporation, also surrendered to the Pasig City Police Station on Monday, according to her legal counsel Atty. Cornelio Samaniego.
Moreover, according to Marcos, eight Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials will also surrender in connection with the Davao Occidental case.
Meanwhile, in the case of another allegedly anomalous P289.5-million flood control project in Oriental Mindoro, authorities already took nine of 16 accused into custody, while seven more were still at large – including former House appropriations chair and resigned Rep. Zaldy Co. /mr