The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee grilled contractor and former Pasig City mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya over her role in multi-billion peso flood control projects and her ownership of 28 luxury vehicles.
Lawmakers questioned whether Discaya is the real operator of her family’s construction firms, which have bagged government projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada pressed Discaya to clarify her involvement, to which she replied that she is not the primary owner but helps manage the business.
Her extravagant car collection became a focal point of the hearing. Discaya admitted buying a Rolls-Royce worth ₱42 million because she liked the umbrella that came with it. She also disclosed the value of several other vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz G63 (₱20 million), two Cadillac Escalades (₱11 million and ₱8 million), a Range Rover Autobiography (₱16 million), and other high-end SUVs.
In total, she confirmed owning 28 luxury vehicles, though she initially claimed to have 40. Discaya explained that only 28 are luxury units, while the rest are service vehicles for the company.
Asked why she needed so many cars, she said, “I have four kids that use it all the time.”
Before joining the construction industry, Discaya said she worked abroad as a dental receptionist and orthodontic nurse. She noted her husband and father are also contractors.
Senators also raised concerns about her car suppliers, Frebel Enterprises and Auto Art, after former Senate President Tito Sotto pointed out that Frebel had been linked to smuggling two Bugatti Chiron units worth $3 million each.
The Bureau of Customs previously seized several vehicles consigned to Frebel and another company, including a Porsche Boxster, Ferrari Scuderia, and multiple Mercedes Benz models.
Discaya denied owning a Bugatti but confirmed sourcing cars from Frebel.
The Senate probe forms part of a wider inquiry into alleged irregularities in DPWH flood control projects and potential conflicts of interest involving contractors.
