The contractor-couple at the heart of the flood control projects controversy stunned the Senate on Monday when they named lawmakers, including Speaker Martin Romualdez, and top public works officials whom they charged took hefty commissions — usually 25 percent — from flood control projects.

Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya, who owns several construction firms with his wife, Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that the kickbacks were the standard “cost of doing business.”

“There’s only one pattern. If it’s an insertion or unprogrammed fund, it’s always a 25-percent cut,” Curlee said in Filipino.

Alleged recipients

Discaya said the lawmakers rarely picked up the cash themselves, often sending aides or middlemen. But in some cases, he claimed to have handed money directly to politicians, naming Marikina Rep. Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, who allegedly used Belle Construction as a conduit.

“He even had one of our projects terminated when I refused to give him a cut,” Curlee said. “I was eventually forced to pay up so the project would be awarded again.”

Discaya said Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona once personally came to his office but later sent his staff to collect the money. Curlee admitted to depositing money directly into Madrona’s bank account at least once.

He also recounted instances when Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo received money personally during their drinking sessions, or sent his aide, Bogs Magalong.

In their nine-page notarized affidavit, the couple listed other alleged beneficiaries: Representatives Roman Romulo, Jojo Ang, Patrick Michael Vargas, Arjo Atayde, Nicanor “Nikki” Briones, Benjamin Agarao Jr., Florencio Gabriel Noel, Leody Tariela, Reynan Arogancia, Teodoro Haresco, Antonieta Eudela, Dean Asistio, Marivic Co-Pilar and former Representative Florida Robes.

Former Malacañang official Terrence Calatrava, now back in private life, was also named.

Discaya claimed he met with Calatrava in the latter’s Makati condo before his staff — identified as Diane Tan and “Andrew” — collected the cash on his behalf.

According to Discaya, collections for Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo were initially handled by DPWH engineer Angelita Garucha, before Metro First Pasig District Engineer Aristotle Ramos took over in 2025.

Romualdez, Zaldy Co linked

The Discayas likewise implicated other DPWH officials: Regional Director Eduardo Virgilio, Unified Project Management Office Director Ramon Ariola III, Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara, Undersecretary Robert Bernardo, North Manila District Engineer Manny Bulusan, Bulacan Sub-DEO Engineer Edgardo Pingol, and Quezon Second DEO Engineer Michael Rosaria.

In the affidavit, the couple also mentioned House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Zaldy Co. They said Rep. Jojo Ang once told them that not all the money went to him personally — some supposedly went up to Romualdez and Co.

The denials

Speaker Romualdez quickly fired back, branding the testimony “false and malicious.”

“The claim in the Discaya couple’s affidavit that my name was used to get commissions is false, malicious, and nothing more than name-dropping,” Romualdez said.

“Let me be clear: Wala akong kinalaman, wala akong pahintulot, at wala akong basbas sa mga ganyang gawain (I have no knowledge, gave no permission, or my blessing to these things),” he said.

QC Rep. Marivic Co-Pilar likewise denied any link to the Discayas: “I’m very sure they never met me. It’s a blatant lie!”

Rep. Arjo Atayde also denied the allegation: “I have never used my position for personal gain, and I never will. I will avail of all remedies under the law to clear my name and hold accountable those who spread these falsehoods.”

For his part, Teodoro dismissed the Discayas’ allegation, branding it as false and part of a demolition job.

Teodoro, a former Marikina mayor, said he was being dragged into the mess after he exposed a double funding anomaly in the DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget.

“This is as clear as day — a diversionary tactic by a syndicate to deflect from the real issue of corruption and anomalies in DPWH flood control projects,” Teodoro said.

He emphasized that the contracts awarded to the Discayas happened during the term of the late Marikina mayor Bayani Fernando before he became a congressman.

Teodoro said he is preparing to file perjury charges against the Discayas for lying under oath.

Romulo on Monday strongly denied allegations linking him to anomalous flood control projects involving the Discayas.

“I categorically deny these malicious and fabricated claims. I was never involved in any bidding or in selecting contractors for DPWH projects,” Romulo said.

He dismissed the accusations as a diversionary tactic meant to evade accountability, stressing that such moves “undermine official proceedings and mislead the public with baseless insinuations.”

Romulo challenged his accusers to present solid evidence and vowed to continue serving Pasig “with honesty and integrity, undeterred by black propaganda.”

‘We never wanted to be part of this’

The Discayas insisted they never engaged in ghost projects and only went along with the prevailing system under pressure.

“We carefully inspect every project we finish,” they said. “We are ready to testify freely and voluntarily about the corruption we have witnessed in the House, the DPWH, and other government offices.”

Sarah added, “We’ve been disqualified many times by DPWH bidding committees controlled by lawmakers. We never wanted to be part of this, but we had to continue for the sake of our family and our employees.”

No paper trail, but ledgers

The couple admitted they had no receipts — transactions were deliberately kept paperless.

However, Curlee said he maintained ledgers, which he later referred to as vouchers, documenting the payouts beginning in 2022.

Senators JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, and Blue Ribbon chair Rodante Marcoleta moved to subpoena his records.

The Blue Ribbon Committee will continue its probe on the anomalous flood control projects next week as yesterday’s testimonies raised more questions than answers on how billions in taxpayer money was stolen outright.