Curlee Discaya says Bernardo, presidential aide, 6 House members got kickbacks

Embattled contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II, on Friday, named several congressmen and other government officials who allegedly received kickbacks from flood control projects.

During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Discaya claimed that they had transactions with the following incumbent and former public officials:

• Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo
• Quezon City 4th District Rep. Marvin Rillo
• Caloocan City 3rd District Rep. Dean Asistio
• Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Vargas
• Quezon City, 6th District Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar
• Uswag Ilonggo Partylist Rep. James “Jojo” Ang
• Former Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Terence Calatrava
• Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo 

GMA News Online has sought comment from the said persons. 

Curlee Discaya, along with his wife, Sarah, were temporarily excused by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee from the hearing on the anomalous flood control projects on Friday to retrieve documents that supposedly contain information on individuals linked to the scandal. 

The ledgers supposedly contain information on the kickbacks that the Discayas gave to certain lawmakers and officials of the DPWH. 

Curlee said that there were more ledgers left in their residence, but they were not able to get them due to a lack of time. 

The Discayas submitted the retrieved ledgers to the Blue Ribbon Committee.

State witness plea

Meanwhile, Senator Rodante Marcoleta asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the status of the appeal of the Discayas to be entered in the Witness Protection Program, following their cooperation in the Senate probe. 

Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon, in response, emphasized that there is “no such thing as an ex-deal” concerning the entry into the WPP. 

“A simple statement telling us or naming a hundred names will not make any difference unless the same can be substantiated. And thus far, we have not seen any, and therefore, there can be no evaluation that can be made or given by the Witness Protection Program,” Fadullon said.

Fadullon said that the DOJ had not heard from the Discayas in the past two and a half months. 

“They have not gone back to the Department. There has been no coordination made by the couple nor by their lawyer. The last thing that we heard from them was when they declared that they will no longer be cooperating with the ICI,” Fadullon said. 

Marcoleta has repeatedly questioned the DOJ for insisting that the contractor couple should return their illegally acquired wealth, if any, to the state coffers before they can be entered into the WPP.

To recall, the Discayas on September 8 first disclosed the names of several congressmen, their staff, and officials of the DPHW who are allegedly involved in corruption in the country’s flood control projects.

The contractor couple said this during a hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, which Marcoleta previously chaired, as they expressed willingness to be state witnesses following their revelation.

They also asked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the committee for help in the protection and security of their family.

In October, Independent Commission for Infrastructure Executive Director Brian Hosaka announced that the Discayas would no longer cooperate with the ICI on its investigation. 

Hosaka said the couple withdrew their cooperation after they saw a media interview of ICI Commissioner Rogelio Singson, where he said that no one has yet qualified to become a state witness. –NB, GMA Integrated News