Curlee Discaya out of Senate for shoulder surgery

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 regarding the whereabouts of his wife, Sarah Discaya—also a government contractor—after her no-show in the flood control probe led by the Blue Ribbon Committee.

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

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 here in the Senate is, it would also be applied to him in the hospital. He is still guarded,” the Senate official said in Filipino.

Prior to 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.

The Discaya couple is under scrutiny for their alleged involvement in a kickback scheme involving lawmakers in flood control projects. 

They were among the top private contractors, who allegedly bagged billions in government infrastructure contracts, some of which were purportedly found to be either grossly substandard or “ghost. They vehemently denied the allegations.

Sarah, who skipped the Senate hearing in September last year, citing health issues, is currently detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail in Cebu on separate graft and malversation of public funds charges.

Curlee previously contested his continued detention in the Senate before the Pasay Court, accusing the chamber of grave abuse of discretion and asserting that his indefinite detention was unlawful. 

However, the court in February upheld the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's authority to detain resource persons who testify falsely or evasively during legislative inquiries. The court ruled that Discaya’s conduct “falls squarely” within the grounds that justify the Senate’s exercise of its contempt power.

“His continued detention, therefore, rests on solid constitutional and jurisprudential ground,” the court said. “The integrity of legislative investigations depends fundamentally on the candor of resource persons.”

"A person who provides inconsistent or misleading information before a legislative committee — whatever his or her reasons — undermines the very inquiry that he or she purports to support,” it added.