Laguna lawmaker Agarao denies links with Discayas

Laguna Fourth District Representative Benjamin “Benjie” Agarao Jr. on Tuesday denied any connection with contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya, saying he was not the sitting representative from 2022 to 2025.

Agarao was among the congressmen and government officials linked by the Discaya couple to anomalous flood control projects  during a Senate hearing in September.

“Katunayan nga po, nagulat nga po bakit ako nadawit dito. Noon pong 2022-2025, hindi po ako nakaupong kongresman noon,” Agarao said during the first livestreamed hearing of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

(As a matter of fact, I was even surprised as to why I was implicated here. During 2022–2025, I was not a sitting congressman.)

“Hindi ko po personal na kilala ang mag-asawang Discaya at wala akong matandaang transaksyon sa kanila,” he added.

(I do not personally know the Discaya couple and I do not recall any transaction with them.)

He served as congressman from 2004 to 2007 and from 2013 to 2022.

However, he admitted that his daughter, Jam Agarao, served as the fourth district representative from 2022 to 2025.

ICI chairperson Justice Andres Reyes Jr. said that the Discayas alleged that his daughter was also involved.

Agarao denied this.

‘AKO AY NAGPAPASALAMAT SA ICI’

Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr., nagpasalamat matapos humarap ngayong umaga sa Independent Commission for Infrastructure para imbestigahan ang kaniyang kaugnayan sa maanomalyang flood control projects.

Itinanggi ni Agarao ang… pic.twitter.com/djRJ8YJGh9

— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) December 2, 2025

Aside from this, the lawmaker denied allegations that he accepted P9 million from the couple and a supposed exotic bulldog as a gift.

“Nabili po ako. Unang-una hindi po ako mahilig sa bulldog dahil malaway po ‘yun eh. Talagang ang personal kong aso ay German Shepherd,” he said.

Meanwhile, Agarao admitted that he knew Alvin Mariano, the individual that ICI Commissioner Rogelio Singson said appeared to be the middleman between the couple and Agarao.

“Ang alam ko lang po contractor po siya. ‘Yun po ang alam ko. Pero ‘yun pong malapit— wala po akong mahabang relasyon po,” he said.

Agarao also said that Mariano was not authorized to represent him.

Phone records

The lawmaker also declined the request of the ICI to share his phone records.

ICI chairperson Andres Reyes Jr. asked if Agarao is willing to share message records with the ICI in order to verify his testimony that he is not communicating with contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya and an alleged middleman.

Reyes explained that the ICI is only investigating all allegations.

Agarao said that his phone contained information that has nothing to do with the flood control controversy.

“Hindi po— kasi ang cellphone ko po ay dalawa lang po eh. ‘Yun pong bago kong cellphone, sa Viber lang po namin sa partido, at saka po sa CA,” Agarao said during the hearing of the ICI.

(No, because I only have two phones. The new one, which only has the Viber of my party, and the CA.)

“Ito pong aking cellphone ay may mga ibang detalye po ito na hindi ko po pupuwedeng...baka magalit ang asawa ko,” he added. 

(My cellphone has other details that I cannot...my spouse might get mad.)

The lawmaker was the first resource person of the ICI to allow his testimony to be livestreamed to the public.—AOL, GMA Integrated News