Pasay court junks Curlee Discaya habeas corpus plea

Embattled contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II will remain under the custody of the Senate after a Pasay court denied the habeas corpus petition that his camp filed. 

Based on the decision of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 498, there was no sufficient evidence to prove Discaya’s argument of grave abuse of discretion for him to be placed in the custody of the Senate, based on a Super Radyo dzBB report of Christian Maño. 

Discaya’s lawyer, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, confirmed the information to GMA News Online. The team is still trying to secure a copy of the decision. 

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Samaniego said they are looking into their next possible steps, adding that they have “other legal options.”

“Either we appeal the case or gumawa po ng ibang hakbang,” he said.

(Either we appeal the case or do something else.)

Samaniego said that their camp accepted the court’s decision.

“Bilang officer po ng korte ay tumatalima po tayo kung ano ‘yung naging desisyon ng korte. Nirerespeto po natin ‘yan whether favorable or not,” he said.

(As officers of the court, we obey whatever the court decides. We respect that whether favorable or not.)

To recall, Discaya was cited in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for lying about the absence of his wife, Sarah, during a hearing on anomalous flood control projects on September 18.

The Senate has stood firm in its decision in citing Discaya in contempt, saying that the order was issued within the upper chamber’s constitutional authority.—Giselle Ombay/AOL/ VAL, GMA Integrated News