Senate witnesses ‘met’ Curlee Discaya at Romualdez Makati property; contractor denies

Big-time contractor Curlee Discaya insisted Monday that he had no hand in the purchase of a posh property in Makati allegedly intended for former speaker Martin Romualdez, despite being identified by two confidential witnesses during the resumption of the Senate’s high-stakes probe into the multi-billion-peso flood control scam.

The witnesses, testifying under pseudonyms Joy and Maria, said before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that Discaya personally told them that Romualdez “acquired” the property at 30 Tamarind Street in South Forbes Park.

“Si Romualdez ang bumili,” said one of the witnesses, allegedly quoting Discaya. 

The property in question was allegedly leased by a certain Rico Ocampo—Joy and Maria’s former boss—and was sold in April 2023. 

The deed of sale showed that Golden Pheasant Holdings Corporation acquired the property, whose “major stockholder” includes Jose Raulito Paras, according to committee chair Ping Lacson. 

Paras was purportedly Romualdez’s fraternity brother and business associate, based on reports. 

One of the witnesses recalled that their boss forwarded them an email from Ocampo, Manalo, Valdez, and Lim Law Firm, informing them that they had to vacate the property within two days on 31 January 2024, but they asked the broker for an extension, citing the volume of their office’s belongings.

Eventually, they were given until 3 February to move out.

Lacson briefly intervened, saying he was able to talk with Ocampo, though he did not specify whether through what channels. 

“He made mention na mayron kayong nakaharap noong you were forcibly pushed out of the residence, nabannggit niya si Curlee Discaya. Would you confirm that?

Curlee’s ‘role’ for Romualdez’s property

In response, the witness said they personally met Discaya on 1 February at the property, noting that he was introduced as “contractor” by the broker, named TJ Conti, though the latter did not specifically mention Discaya’s name.

This prompted Lacson to seek clarification from the witnesses on how they identified Discaya, despite not knowing his name.

"We remembered him because he was the one manning the people; he even told them to help us so we could move out quickly," one of the witnesses responded.

She further narrated that they asked Discaya to give them another round of extension, but he allegedly refused, saying that: “I’m a contractor here, we also have deadlines.”

She mentioned that they further confirmed Discaya’s identity when he appeared on TV at the height of the congressional probe into the flood control anomalies.

During the hearing, the witnesses pinpointed Discaya, who is also present in the investigation, as the one who acted as the property “contrator” for Romualdez. 

Discaya, in response, requested that the witnesses remove their facemasks so that he could confirm whether he had truly encountered them in person, but Lacson refused. 

"I want to identify the two people pinpointing me because I've never been to South Forbes Park. I don't even know what kind of houses there are. So, it's really vague,” Discaya told senators in Filipino. 

“I did not instruct any brokers because I’m afraid to buy [properties] in those places. I only buy in the Pasig area where land costs are not expensive,” he continued. 

Lacson, however, argued that it was not for Discaya to identify the two witnesses, asserting that it is the panel’s responsibility to determine whether he actually mentioned Romualdez as the new owner of the property, as alleged by witnesses.

Romualdez’s camp pushed back

Meanwhile, Romualdez’s lawyer, Ade Fajardo, downplayed the testimonies of the two Senate witnesses as “logically and physically impossible,” taking into account Discaya’s remarks that he has never entered South Forbes Park. 

“The claims come solely from the staff of an evicted tenant, unsupported by any document, while Martin Romualdez’s name appears in no deed, contract, or payment record related to the property. There is no evidence—only hearsay and possibly perjured statements —and therefore nothing to answer,” Ade averred. 

The house in South Forbes Park was the same property that former Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co claimed was purchased as a “drop-off and storage of money from SOPs,” or kickbacks from the government, allegedly intended for President Marcos Jr. and Romualdez. 

Co, the former chair of the House appropriations committee in the 19th Congress, alleged that he inserted P100 billion in the 2025 budget on Marcos and Romualdez’s orders. 

Of the total, P56 billion allegedly went straight to Marcos and Romualdez, who received it in monthly deliveries.

Marcos had downplayed Co’s allegations, saying he “won’t dignify” it, while Romualdez reiterated that his conscience “remains clear” and that the imputations of his ex-ally “do not hold water in the court of law.”

Co, who ran a construction firm doing business with the government, is facing multiple charges for his role in substandard flood control projects, and is subject to an arrest warrant. He flew to the United States in July last year at the onset of the flood control anomalies discovery, and is reportedly hiding now in Portugal.