Private contractor Curlee Discaya on Monday claimed lawmakers routinely received a 25% cut from “insertions” and unprogrammed infrastructure projects during a Senate hearing.

Discaya, alongside his wife and former Pasig mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya, stood by his sworn affidavit before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, testifying that a consistent pattern of kickbacks plagued infrastructure allocations funneled through insertions and unprogrammed funds.

“Isa lang po ang pattern. Basta insertion or unprogrammed po, 25% po lagi (There is only one pattern. In every insertion or unprogrammed project, it would always be a 25% cut),” Discaya said, addressing Senator Erwin Tulfo’s question during the hearing on anomalies in flood control projects.

He added that most lawmakers sent representatives to receive their cut: “Kadalasan po nag-uusap lang po, nag-uutos lang (Most of the time we just talk to their representatives).”

“Si Cong. [Marvin] Rillo kadalasan po binibigay ko po yun pag nag-iinuman o di kaya yung tao po niya si Bogs Magalong ang pumupunta, pini-pick up (For example, I just hand the money to Cong. Marvin Rillo during our drinking sessions or his staff, Bogs Magalong, pick it up),” he disclosed.

“Kay Cong. Madrona, for example, mismo siya po ang pumunta sa office namin at pagkatapos tao na lang po niya ang nagdala ng bagay sa kanya at personal ko ring pong dineposit (Cong. Eleandro Jesus Madrona personally picked it up from us, then after he just sent his staff, and there was also a time where I just deposited it to him),” he added.

In some instances, however, he personally delivered cash to lawmakers’ trusted aides or through direct meetings.

“Kadalasan po ako po ang nagbibigay o minsan po may inuutusan po ako itong mga nagtatawagan lang po kami para sa hinihingi (Oftentimes, I personally give or sometimes I am asked to call those who are asking),”  Discaya narrated. 

Meanwhile, Bell Construction, a Marikina-based firm, allegedly serves as the representative of Marikina First District Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, according to Discaya.

“Kasi ang nangyari po nito, pina-mutual terminate po niya yung mga project na napanalunan ko. Dahil hindi po ako nagbigay (Because what happened was, he mutually terminated the project we won because I refused to give him a cut),” Curlee said.

“Kaya ang nangyari po nito, napilitan na lang po ako magbigay para ipa-award ulit sa panibagong pagkaka-bidding (So I was forced to give him a cut to be awarded again the new bidding),” he added.

No paper trail

Pressed if the couple had documents to prove their claim, Curlee said there were no receipts to avoid a paper trail.

“Wala pong resibo... No paper trail po lahat ng transaction pero meron po kaming voucher (No receipts... All our transactions have no paper trails),” he said.

While he admitted there were no formal receipts, as transactions were deliberately kept paperless, he claimed to maintain internal ledgers tracking cash disbursements.

Discaya added that these ledgers began in 2022, with no documented records prior to that year.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Blue Ribbon chairperson Rodante Marcoleta both moved for the subpoena of all ledgers and related documents in Discaya’s possession. A subpoena duces tecum is expected to be issued to compel submission of the records.