By Darryl John Esguerra
MANILA – The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) uncovered a PHP96.5-million “ghost project” in Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental, awarded to St. Timothy Construction Corp., a company owned by controversial government contractors Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah Rowena ‘Sarah’ Discaya.
The project, listed as the Construction of Concrete Revetment, was declared “fully paid and completed” as early as 2022.
But according to residents and barangay officials, construction only began two to three weeks ago.
ICI special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who joined Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon in inspecting the site on Thursday, immediately ordered the suspension of the works and declared the area a “crime scene.”
The ICI noted that the discovery adds to the growing list of questionable flood control and infrastructure projects tied to the Discaya group, already under scrutiny for irregularities nationwide. (PNA)
