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The Senate witnesses, testifying under pseudonyms Joy and Maria, told the Blue Ribbon Committee on 19 January that contractor Curlee Discaya personally told them that ex-speaker Martin Romualdez 'acquired' the property at 30 Tamarind Street in South Forbes Park—allegedly purchased as a 'drop-off and storage of money from SOPs,' or kickbacks from the government.
Aram Lascano for the Daily Tribune
The Department of Justice (DOJ) Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon on Thursday said the recent “shocking” claims aired at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee—where two witnesses alleged transactions involving former House speaker Martin Romualdez and the Discaya couple—are information that may be considered, but are not yet sufficient to support the filing of charges related to alleged flood control anomalies.
“It can be considered as possible evidence and a lead but we need to conduct further investigation and cannot be reliant on two individuals,” Fadullon said.
The Senate panel on Monday continued its probe into the alleged anomalies, during which two witnesses, identified only as Mary and Joy, appeared and tagged Curlee Discaya over a purported high-end property in Forbes Park, Makati allegedly linked to Romualdez.
Fadullon said such revelations often surface as investigations progress, but do not automatically translate into criminal cases without corroborating evidence.
“May mga bagay na lumalabas during investigation na nakakagulat but it doesn’t necessarily mean na ‘nakakagulat kaso na agad yan’,” he said.
He cited earlier testimonies involving Curlee and Sara Discaya, noting that while several lawmakers’ names were mentioned, allegations must still be backed by proof, stressing that “everybody deserves due process.”
“Ang tanong ko, supisyente na ba na magbanggit lang ng pangalan? Anybody can do that,” Fadullon said, adding that authorities must first establish actual participation before pursuing charges.
Fadullon also pointed out that several individuals linked to the alleged scheme already have assets frozen by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), even as criminal cases are still being evaluated.
“Meaning to say, sa ngayon pa lang tinitingnan na ng ating Money Laundering Council na itong mga kaperahan na meron sila ay una, hindi galing sa maayos na pamamaraan,” he said, noting these findings may later support additional charges.
The AMLC recently reported that about P22.869 billion worth of assets tied to individuals and entities implicated in the alleged flood control corruption have been frozen, including bank accounts, aircraft, real estate, vehicles, insurance accounts, and other investments.
