Curlee Discaya felt ‘robbed’ when asked to return money to gov’t

Embattled contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II on Monday said he feels being “robbed” when asked to restitute or return money to the government in order to qualify under the Department of Justice's Witness Protection Program (WPP). 

Discaya said this amid a heated exchange between Senator Rodante Marcoleta and Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon on the topic of restitution or the return of ill-gotten wealth by a person applying for the WPP. 

During Monday’s hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Marcoleta asked Discaya what the DOJ told him before he and his wife Sarah could be entered into the WPP. 

“Your Honor, kung magkano po ang ire-restitute po muna namin… Ako po, hindi ko po masabi kung magkano po kasi para sa akin po, parang kami po ang nanakawan,” Discaya answered. 

(Your Honor, we discussed how much we should restitute first… I couldn’t give an amount because for me, it's like we were the ones who were robbed.) 

“Parang ibig sabihin, parang modern day na pagnanakaw. Ibig sabihin, ‘yung nakaw ba, siya pa magbibigay ng pera doon sa ninakawan niya? Parang gano’n po,” he added. 

(It seems like modern day robbery. Does it mean the thief should give money to the person who was robbed? It feels like that.) 

Previously, the Discaya couple were considered “protected witnesses” under the WPP. However, both eventually stopped cooperating with the Justice Dept.

Fadullon said the Discayas dropped names of personalities who were allegedly connected to anomalous flood control projects, but these were not supported by additional evidence.

The Prosecutor General, during the hearing, dismissed as “lies” the claim of Curlee Discaya that they were immediately asked by the DOJ to return ill-gotten wealth. 

“Ang pinag uusapan po dito, bago man lang makapagsabi ng ganon, kailan munang makita kung ano ang gusto at kayang sabihin at patunayan ni Mr. Disacaya at ni Mrs. Discaya doon sa kanilang salaysay… Pero hindi po sila nakikipag-ugnayan sa department kaya hindi po sila mabigyan ng kaukulang proteksyon at hindi po ma-process ang kanilang application,” Fadullon explained. 

(What we were talking about here is, before they were asked to restitute, we have to see first what Mr. Disacaya and Mrs. Discaya are willing to prove in their narrative... But they are not communicating with the department so they cannot be given appropriate protection and their application cannot be processed.) 

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

Sarah Discaya was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on December 18 after a court issued a warrant against her for corruption and malversation of funds charges in connection with the P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental.

Curlee, on the other hand, is currently detained at the Senate after being cited in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee during a hearing on anomalous flood control projects on September 18. — RF, GMA Integrated News