Pleyto must explain alleged Discaya remittances—Ombudsman

Bulacan 6th District Representative Salvador Pleyto has a lot of explaining to do, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, after being linked to remittances from the controversial couple Sarah and Pacifico Discaya.

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, 23 October 2025, at the Office of the Ombudsman, Remulla said Pleyto was flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for receiving funds via bank transfer from the Discayas.

“Bulacan Representative Salvador Pleyto received money through bank transfers from contractors, the embattled Discaya couple, from 2019 to 2020,” Remulla said.

The Ombudsman noted that the filing of malversation and graft charges was prompted by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, who personally submitted the complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman on the same day. The charges involve 21 DPWH officials and two contractors over flood control projects in La Union and Davao Occidental valued at P276 million.

Remulla said the investigation uncovered P96.5 million in ghost projects in Davao Occidental and two phases of unfinished flood control projects in La Union, each worth P89.7 million. The Davao Occidental project was awarded to St. Timothy Construction, owned by the Discayas, while the La Union project was contracted to Silverwolves Construction, linked to Benguet Lone District Representative Eric Yap, House Committee on Appropriations chairman from 2020 to 2022.

Remulla added that Yap’s brother Edvic, a representative of the ACT-CIS party-list, and Pleyto also received money transfers from the Discayas.

“Magkapatid ‘yan, Eric and Edvic Yap, meron na kami nakuhang transmittal ng pera from the AMLC papunta kay Edvic Yap. So, nakita namin may pattern talaga na meron talaga silang kinalaman sa mga kontrata kasi ‘yung transmittal ng pera, galing sa Discaya…That’s P70 million. The other one is Salvador Pleyto, congressman for Bulacan, iyong kasama sa remittance ng Discaya na na-tag ng Anti-Money Laundering Council,” Remulla said.

(“Those brothers, Eric and Edvic Yap, we already found a transmittal of money from the AMLC to Edvic Yap. So, we saw a pattern that they really had something to do with the contracts because the transmittal of money came from Discaya…That’s P70 million. The other one is Salvador Pleyto, congressman for Bulacan, the one who was included in the Discaya remittance that was tagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.”)

He added: “Kasama sila sa pagkilos ng kontrata. Sila'y nakikialam at nakikisa sa pagkilos ng kontrata. Bakit magbibigay ang kontratista ng P70 million papunta sa isang tao kung hindi dahil sa kontrata?”

(“They are involved in the operation of the contract. They are interfering in the operation of the contract. Why would the contractor give P70 million to someone if it were not because of the contract?”)

In response, Pleyto condemned the accusations and demanded the release of the AMLC report cited by Remulla.

“Until such time that I have a copy of the official report from the AMLC, I urge the public to refrain from drawing conclusions or spreading unverified information that may cause undue harm to my personal reputation, both as a private person and a public servant,” he said.

Meanwhile, an official from Bulacan 6th District who requested anonymity said Pleyto should clarify his role in the controversy, noting that “Alam naman ng mga taga-distrito sa Bulacan, o kahit sino ang tanungin niyo sa Norzagaray, Angat, at Sta. Maria, ay magsasabing kontratista din si Congressman dahil sa kanya ang S.A. Pleyto Construction Corp.”

(“The people of the district in Bulacan know, or anyone you ask in Norzagaray, Angat, and Sta. Maria, will say that the Congressman is also a contractor because he owns S.A. Pleyto Construction Corp.”)