Sarah Discaya will face Senate, camp confirms

Sarah Discaya will face Senate, camp confirms | Daily Tribune

The camp of the embattled Discaya couple has confirmed that Sarah Discaya will be attending the second public hearing set by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday.

In a telephone conversation, Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II confirmed to DAILY TRIBUNE that his wife, Sarah, will attend the hearing as the president of Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor and Development Corp. This controversial firm allegedly bagged 100 flood control projects valued at P7,163,487,228.47.

Senate President Francis Escudero stated last week that he had signed the subpoenas against eight contractors who did not appear at the first hearing, spearheaded by Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairperson Senator Rodante Marcoleta.

Aside from the Discaya’s Alpha & Omega, other summoned flood control contractors expected to appear at the hearing are Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp., L.R. Tiqui Builders Inc., Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp., St. Timothy Construction Corp., Sunwest Inc., Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc., and Wawao Builders.

Marcoleta irks Lacson’s ‘meddling’

Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson confirmed that Senator Marcoleta appeared uneasy with him, citing alleged interference in Marcoleta’s work as chairman of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee.

Lacson was addressing Marcoleta’s claim on his television program, where the latter insinuated that Lacson tried to adjust the hearing schedule to prevent him from presiding.

“In his TV program, he was criticizing some of us - myself, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, along with Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III, for proposing the creation of an independent body to investigate flood control anomalies in what he claims to be an attempt to undermine the mandate of the Blue-Ribbon Committee which he chairs, and Sen Tulfo, to name a few. To set the record straight, no one is interfering with his work. We all want to have good governance,” Lacson clarified in a radio interview on Sunday.

Marcoleta criticized Lacson for requesting a reschedule of the September 1 flood control hearing, citing its conflict with the Senate finance committee’s budget deliberations for 2026.

Marcoleta’s hearing is scheduled to hold its hearing on the flood control project mess at 9 a.m. The Finance Committee will hold its hearing at 10 a.m., with a briefing by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 National Expenditure Program.

“I was not asking for him to reschedule his hearing. I merely asked for either hearing to be held on another date, because they are both important. I am not belittling his committee’s hearing, and I recognize his mandate as chairman,” he said.

“I merely wanted to correct any misimpressions Sen. Marcoleta’s words may have created. I don’t want a fight, but I won’t back down from one,” he added.