Lacson on photo with Discayas: First and only time I met them

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday maintained that he had no ties with contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya as he explained a photo of them together, which has been circulating online.

“I did not know the Discayas and that was the first and only time outside of the Blue Ribbon committee hearings that I met them. That meeting took around 15-20 minutes but not before that group photo was taken," said Lacson. 

Lacson, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, also said that the photo was taken in the last week of April when the 90-day campaign period for the 2025 elections was about to end. 

He said that Fred Villaroman, a campaign supporter from Davao City whose father used to head the security detail of then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, brought the son of the Discaya couple to his office in Taguig City. 

Lacson said he was invited to attend a “grand rally” in one of the Davao provinces as the young Discaya was then vying for a congressional seat. 

“Anyway, I begged off—first, out of respect for my friend [Senate President] Tito Sotto whose nephew, Mayor Vico Sotto, was running against Mrs. Discaya for the mayorship of Pasig City, and second, there were other party-list groups who were including my name in their sample ballots and I thought it was not a smart political decision to join a rally of any party-list group,” the senator explained. 

"I hope this clarifies whatever insinuations are being attached to this said photograph," added Lacson.

Curlee and Sarah Discaya have been placed under the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Witness Protection Program, along with former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, however, clarified that they are not yet considered state witnesses as these are considered free from criminal liability. 

Remulla on Monday said he believes that the Discayas secured more than P200 billion in alleged anomalous government contracts nationwide. —VAL, GMA Integrated News