'Nakakalulang yaman': Estrada flags 80 cars of Discaya
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee presides the hearing regarding the ghost flood control projects presided by Senator Rodante Marcoleta. In attendance were the contractors summoned by the committee to answer queries regarding anomalies including Sara Discaya of Alpha and Omega General Contractor & Development Corporation, Mark Allan Arevalo of Wawao Builders, Marjorie Samidan or MG Samidan Construction, Roma Angeline Rimando of St Timothy Construction Corporation, among others. | Aram Lascano
Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday, 2 September, questioned anew the cars owned by construction firm owner Sarah Discaya, who is being linked to anomalous flood control projects across the country.
During a search warrant carried out by the Bureau of Customs in the property of the Discayas in Pasig on Tuesday, only three luxury vehicles were found.
"Only three were found? But according to the information I gathered, there are about 80 vehicles owned by the Discaya couple and their companies," Estrada said.
Out of the eighty, the senator said over 40 are luxury vehicles.
Citing records from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Estrada said there are 63 vehicles, luxury and mainstream brands, registered in the agency, these include Rolls Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, GMC Yukon Denali (2), Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes Benz Wagon G63, Range Rover Evoque.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on Monday, Discaya also mentioned owning a Range Rover Defender (P42 million), two Cadillac Escalades (P11 million and P8 million), and a Mercedes-Benz Maybach, which Estrada flagged as not being registered with the LTO.
He added that the Discaya couple also owned six luxury vehicles, including a Volvo XC-90, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and a Maserati.
"In the viral YouTube channel of Julius Babao, there are eight luxury vehicles not on the LTO's list that are in the Discaya couple's name," Estrada pointed out.
"Nakakalulang yaman ito (This is outrageous wealth). If the 28 luxury cars that Sarah admitted to owning are something I can hardly believe, that's less than half of the total number of vehicles they own. This is outrageous," he added.
Senator Sotto, during the hearing, also flagged that one of their importer-dealers of vehicles is involved in smuggling.
"The Frebel Enterprises are the ones that the Bureau of Customs is charging for its smuggled Bugatti, Chron. Its vehicles are all smuggled. Undeclared Mercedes-Benz, Porsche Boxster, whatever, in 2022. In 2024, there were two Bugattis," Sotto said.
Discaya-linked firms were among 15 contractors that cornered P100 billion or 20 percent of the entire P545-billion flood control projects across the country, as revealed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in August.