Arjo Atayde, etc.: Discaya, DPWH flood control controversies allegedly involving showbiz personalities

Pinoy showbiz is now starkly entangled with the alleged politics of corruption with the billions of funds intended for flood control in the country.

We initially thought showbiz personalities were only peripherally entangled since the man who stirred the hornet’s nest about the Discaya couple’s incredible wealth — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto — is a son of showbiz idols who were former lovers Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes.

The city mayor simply dared to ask on social media if it was true that the separate airings of lifestyle video features of journos Korina Sanchez and Julius Babao about the overwhelmingly wealthy and extravagant Discaya couple were favored by a fee of P10 million each for Sanchez and Babao.

The Discaya couple’s unwitting admission to the journos that their cash began to pile up into billions when they became contractors of projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) seemed to be harmless. It may even have sounded impressive.

But floods rained down in many parts of the country just a few weeks after the Pasig City mayor’s fearless question posed to the broadcast journalists and it came to surface that the companies directly and indirectly owned by the Discayas were contractors mainly for the construction of flood control infrastructures in the country. The couple owned nine construction companies and there were many times over the years that all nine firms submitted bids for one project, thus ensuring that whichever company won the bid, the couple benefitted. The DPWH is believed to be aware of the Discaya companies’ simultaneous bidding. The Discayas were getting a little help from their friends in the government.

The Discayas’ real trouble and disgrace began. The couple was soon invited to the Senate investigation on why our expensive flood infrastructure systems failed after just two or three days of continuous rain on several regions of the country, including the National Capital Region where Metro Manila is. Some projects awarded to their construction companies were not completed even as payments to them had been completed. Some projects were badly done.

A few days ago, the Discayas revealed in a Senate hearing that they have been doling out millions of pesos to a number of members of the House of Representatives. They made it clear that they did not volunteer those dole outs. The couple claimed they were asked by the congressmen and congresswomen for their share in the government “loot” and the legislators allegedly clearly stated the amount they wanted to be shared with them.

Actor-politician Arjo Atayde is in the long list of the Discayas. And so is PM Vargas, a brother of actor Alfred Vargas who was elected congressman in Quezon City when Alfred had to rest from seeking the post as per our election laws. Pasig Congressman Roman Romulo, a party mate of Mayor Vico Sotto, is also in the list.

Cong. Atayde’s showbiz celebrity wife, Maine Mendoza, was quick to defend her husband. “Wala siyang ginagawang masama! (He isn’t doing anything wrong!)” proclaimed Mendoza in her social media account. The congressman himself has asserted that he has nothing to do with the Discaya couple whom he met only once briefly in his (Atayde’s) office. Atayde said he only had a photo taken with the couple and they did not have time to talk among themselves. Cong. Romulo has also denied the Discayas’ accusations.

Curlee Discaya, whom Mayor Sotto has labeled as the “mistermind,” as husband of Sarah Discaya, even revealed in the Senate hearing that he has written to Cong. Atayde to return the P60 million he (Curlee) has given to the congressman through his father, businessman Art Atayde.

Mayor Sotto has warned the public “not to believe in their (the Discayas) lies” and in their “pa-awa effect.”

On Tuesday (9 September) morning’s House hearing, former First District Assistant Engineer Brice Hernandez said Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva have received cash in millions of pesos in the past as their share (termed as SOP or standard operating procedure) from DPWH project funds whose release they worked on.

Actress Heart Evangelista’s senator husband Chiz Escudero was dislodged from his post as senate president due to findings that he accepted a P30 million donation to his past election campaign.

May no multi-million anomalies turn up about showbiz dealings with government sooner or later.