Malabo umanong maging mga state witness ang mag-asawang kontratista na sina Pacifico “Curlee” at Sarah Discaya kaugnay ng mga kaso ng iregularidad sa flood control projects, dahil sa malalim nilang kinalaman sa anomalya, ayon kay Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano.
“The Discayas, due to their uncooperative behavior now, there's absolutely no chance that they can even become state witnesses anymore,” sabi ni Clavano, na siya ring spokesperson ng Ombudsman sa isang press conference.
Patuloy niya, “Because of their statement that they are uncooperative, then they are deemed to be hostile witnesses and can only be charged as respondents and in the future in cases of malversation of public funds, falsification of public documents, and all the other crimes that they were a part of.”
Idinagdag ni Clavano na maraming sinalihan na bidding ang mag-asawa na pinaniniwalaang may bahid ng anomalya na isinagawa ng DPWH.
“Alam naman natin na higit 4,000 po ang sinalihan nilang bids around the country and kahit anong scheme or scam na nakita natin sa DPWH, kasama sila. So it's impossible that they can be considered as a state witness for all those crimes that they've committed. Choice nila ‘yun,” dagdag ng opisyal.
Binigyang-diin din ni Clavano na hindi palalampasin ng pamahalaan ang mga testigong hindi nakikipagtulungan sa imbestigasyon.
“Kung gusto talaga nila na maging uncooperative, then the government has no choice but to run after them with every ounce of effort that we can muster,” pagtiyak niya.
Dagdag pa ni Clavano, mawawalan na rin ng protective witness status mula sa Department of Justice (DOJ) ang mag-asawang Discaya.
“Yes, definitely [they will lose it]. Iyong protection na binibigay po sa kanila is a consequence or as a result of the application that they had to become state witness. It is a prelude to being a state witness. But we think, there's absolutely no chance right now kung maging hostile sila sa atin,” sabi ni Clavano.— mula sa ulat ni Llanesca T. Panti/FRJ GMA Integrated News
