By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Amid heightened uncertainty about the administration’s flood control probe, the government has been making strides in upholding accountability by going after assets and individuals entangled in this pressing national concern.
This is reflected in a video message uploaded by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Tuesday, where he shared the Court of Appeals’ (CA) freeze order on 280 bank accounts, 22 insurance policies, eight aircraft, and three securities accounts linked to Silverwolves Construction Corporation and Sky Yard Aviation Corporation.
Marcos Jr. especially noted the P16 billion in transactions handled by Silverwolves from 2022 to 2025, with the majority of the funds being traced back to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control projects.
Also included in the CA order were the personal accounts and assets of Benguet lone district Representative Eric Yap and his brother, ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Edvic Yap, who were allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects in La Union.
The Benguet solon was the beneficial owner of Silverwolves and was previously implicated by a supposed former security consultant of resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Elizaldy Co, who claimed that Yap brought 46 suitcases of money to Co’s residence in Pasig City.
Edvic, meanwhile, is said to have received money funneled by contractor couple Pacifico and Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya in 2019 or 2020, according to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
President Marcos Jr. welcomed this development as a crucial step in the investigation, “Kailangan natin ng mga freeze order na ito para hindi maibenta ang mga ari-arian at para maibalik natin sa ating mga kababayan ang bawat pisong pinaghihinalaang ninakaw.”
The Chief Executive moreover acknowledged the notices of voluntary surrender sent by eight Public Works officials to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), citing charges related to the flood control mess.
He concluded his report by hinting at the upcoming issuance of a warrant of arrest against Sarah Discaya, a key figure in this major controversy.
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