Sotto seeks overhaul of PCAB, CIAP after Senate grilling of Discaya

Senate Minority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Tuesday, 2 September, urged Congress to amend the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) and the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) Law.

Sotto's statement followed revelations about the questionable ownership structures of several construction companies linked to spouses Pacifico and Cezarah Rowena Discaya, as cited in CTA Case No. 10472, St. Timothy Construction Corporation versus Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Records showed that these corporations are owned, operated, and represented by Pacifico Discaya, Cezarah "Sarah" Rowena Discaya, Pacifico Discaya II, Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando, and Darryl Mark Pesigal, all either relatives or employees of the Discayas.

The PCAB confirmed that this constitutes material misrepresentation in corporate ownership and registration.

Sotto raised concerns over the difficulty of pursuing accountability since the companies use multiple addresses, asking, “Where will they be pursued if different addresses are used?"

He also warned that some contractors simply establish new corporations or sole proprietorships whenever their licenses are denied, thereby exploiting loopholes to evade regulatory safeguards.

PCAB Executive Director Atty. Herbert Matienzo affirmed that such practices may indeed fall under material misrepresentation.

On Monday, senators grilled Discaya after admitting that all her construction firms simultaneously bid for the same projects.

Meanwhile, Sotto stressed the need for stronger powers, tighter coordination, and clearer enforcement measures across the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Trade and Industry to stop these abuses.

“We are hoping that this precisely will be the result of your committee — the legislation that we need to do with PCAB, we need to overhaul PCAB.”