Contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II on Monday threatened to open a much wider flood control scandal, claiming he possesses information on more than 150 individuals allegedly involved in anomalous government projects.
The revelation came as authorities transferred Discaya from Senate detention to the Bulacan Provincial Jail following his arrest on a non-bailable malversation charge tied to an allegedly anomalous P53.9-million flood control project in Bulacan.
“But one question keeps shouting in my mind: If mentioning just 17 names immediately silenced me and deprived me of my freedom for nine months, how can you expect me to speak out about more than 150 other powerful people involved in a system that has long been protected?” Discaya said.
Discaya claimed that he and his family were being used as “sacrificial lambs” while other personalities allegedly involved in questionable projects remained beyond the reach of investigators.
“You may look at us as big fish, but we are not the greedy crocodiles that have long been devouring the country’s public funds,” he said.
His allegations surfaced amid separate claims by 18 former military personnel linked to expelled Representative Zaldy Co that they had delivered hundreds of millions of pesos in purported kickbacks from flood control projects to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Both Malacañang and Romualdez’s camp have denied the allegations.
Transferred
Discaya has been detained at the Senate for the past nine months after being cited in contempt during legislative hearings on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
On Monday, agents of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) served a warrant issued by the Malolos Regional Trial Court and formally took him into custody.
The case stems from the rehabilitation of river control structures in Calumpit, Bulacan. Prosecutors alleged that Discaya-owned St. The Discaya’s Timothy Construction Corp. received P53.9 million in government funds despite the absence of proof that the project had been completed.
Also ordered arrested were Discaya’s wife, Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya; St. Timothy executive Roma Angeline Rimando; and several officials and personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bulacan.
Sarah Discaya is already detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail in Cebu over a separate case involving an alleged ghost project in Davao Occidental.
Authorities noted that Discaya was wearing an arm cast during his arrest following a recent shoulder surgery while in detention.
CIDG-National Capital Region chief Police Col. John Guiagui said authorities followed standard procedures.
“The handcuffs could not fit properly because of his injury, but he was closely guarded. There was no special treatment given to him,” Guiagui said.
Filing for bail
Discaya underwent a medical examination and booking procedures before being brought to the Malolos Regional Trial Court and later transferred to the Bulacan Provincial Jail.
His lawyer, Cornelio Samaniego, expressed disappointment over the arrest, arguing that Discaya had cooperated with authorities and helped expose alleged irregularities within the DPWH.
“He was the one who identified names and exposed the practices inside the DPWH. After helping the government, this is what he experiences now?” Samaniego said.
Despite the non-bailable nature of the charge, the defense plans to file a petition for bail.
“We believe a petition for bail is proper because the evidence of guilt is not strong. That is the purpose of the petition, even if the offense is classified as non-bailable,” Samaniego added.
In a statement, Discaya said he had apologized to those who were disappointed, hurt or had lost trust because of the controversy, insisting that he and his family had been used by people in power.
He maintained that they had no ghost or substandard projects and that every contract entrusted to them had been completed in accordance with government requirements.
No regrets
“I thought you wanted the truth. I thought you were ready to listen to the things that fear and silence have long been whispering. So I dared to speak,” Discaya said.
He added that despite his detention and legal troubles, he does not regret speaking out.
“They may have imprisoned my body. They may have silenced my voice for a time, but they can never imprison the truth. Because truth is like light — it can be covered for a moment, but darkness can never extinguish it forever,” he said.
