Big-time government contractor Curlee Discaya, on Thursday, was temporarily allowed to leave his detention cell in the Senate to undergo surgery on his right shoulder.

Discaya, reportedly suffering from frozen shoulder, has been detained at the Senate since September last year after being cited in contempt.

Senators accused him of lying for giving inconsistent statements about the whereabouts of his wife, Sarah Discaya — also a government contractor — after her no-show at the Blue Ribbon Committee’s flood control probe.

Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza said Discaya may stay in the hospital for about four days to one week, depending on the doctors’ assessment. However, he added that Discaya could also be discharged and returned to the Senate within just five days if his condition improves.

Security remains tight

Nonetheless, security measures for the embattled contractor will remain tight while he is hospitalized, according to Mendoza. Visitors will also be restricted to a limited number from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The use of cellphones is strictly prohibited.

“It’s still the same. Whatever the setup is here in the Senate would also apply to him in the hospital. He is still guarded,” the Senate official said in Filipino.

Before his scheduled surgery, Discaya was also permitted to undergo an MRI scan outside the Senate’s facility as he complained of a frozen shoulder.

In a 28 February letter obtained by the DAILY TRIBUNE, Discaya also allegedly suffers from difficulty in breathing, especially at night, causing him pain and anxiety that has led to sleepless nights.