Discayas stand by testimonies after pulling out of ICI probe — lawyer

Contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya stand by the testimonies they made over anomalous flood control projects despite their decision to no longer cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), their lawyer said Friday.

“‘Yung joint affidavit po nila o sinumpaang salaysay na may mga pinangalanang Usec., congressmen, DE, RD, eh nandyan pa rin po. HIndi ho sila tumatalikod doon at pangangatawanan po nila ‘yun,” lawyer Cornelio Samaniego III, the couple’s legal counsel, said on dzBB.

(Their joint affidavit or sworn statement, which names undersecretaries, congressmen, district engineers, and regional directors, is still there. They are not backing out from it and will stand by it.)

“Ganon din po ‘yung supplemental affidavit ni Sir Curlee na sinubmit niya sa Blue Ribbon Committee, pangangatawan din ho niya ‘yun. Hindi ho iuurong ‘yun,” he added.

(The same goes for Sir Curlee’s supplemental affidavit that he submitted to the Blue Ribbon Committee; he will also stand by it. He will not withdraw it.)

In September, the couple disclosed the names of several congressmen, their staff, and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways who are allegedly involved in the corruption.

They also expressed their willingness to become state witnesses in the probe.

However, they recently withdrew their cooperation after they saw a media interview of ICI commissioner Rogelio Singson, where he said that no one has yet to qualify to become state witnesses.

Samaniego said that the commissioner might have said something that Sarah Discaya did not like.

“Nakapagsabi ata ng hindi maganda sa panlasa ng ating— ng asawa ni Sir Curlee. Kaya nagconsult po siya sa ating mga abugado. So napagdesisyonan po na ‘yun naman po gusto nila… so nag file po sila ng affidavit, respective affidavits nila na doon lang naman, hindi na sila makikipag-cooperate,” he said.

(It seems something unpleasant was said that offended Sir Curlee’s wife. So she consulted our lawyers, and it was decided that since that’s what they wanted, they filed their respective affidavits stating only that they would no longer cooperate.)

He also cited the statement of DOJ officer-in-charge Undersecretary Fredderick Vida that the department has set a timeline for the filing of cases with or without the statements of the couple.

The DOJ, meanwhile, previously said that it has yet to receive word if the Discayas will also stop cooperating with the agency, where they are applying for the Witness Protection Program.

“Tell-all”

Meanwhile, Samaniego maintained that the couple had told the ICI everything.

He said the Discayas had provided every detail on how they asked for money, named the people they ordered, the venues, and even their clients.

According to the lawyer, the Senate blue ribbon committee, then under Senator Rodante Marcoleta, only asked the couple to provide information regarding anomalous flood control projects from July 2022 to present when it invited them.

“Tumalima lang ho kami sa subpoena at patawag po ng Blue Ribbon Committee. Kaya ho nami-misconstrue po ng ating mga kababayan at ibang ahensya ng gobyerno na nag-iimbistiga, bakit selective?” he said.

(We merely complied with the subpoena and the summons of the Blue Ribbon Committee. That’s why our fellow citizens and other investigating government agencies misconstrue it, asking why it seems selective.)

“Hindi po kami selective. Tumalima lang ho kami sa subpoena at invitation po ng Blue Ribbon Committee,” he added.

(We are not being selective. We merely complied with the subpoena and invitation of the Blue Ribbon Committee.)

Following numerous hearings, several lawmakers and officials have asked the couple to provide information starting 2016 after Sarah Discaya admitted that they engaged in flood control projects since that year. 

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla also recently bared that the couple have refused to disclose details of their partnership with the Davao-based CLTG Builders, a firm owned by the father of Senator Bong Go.

Samniego, however, said that the Discayas only have personal knowledge from July 2022 to 2025. 

He also said he believes that the contractors are not protecting anyone. —AOL, GMA Integrated News