DOJ to file tax cases vs Curlee, Sarah Discaya

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will file two tax cases involving contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya over anomalous flood control projects, Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez said Tuesday.

Martinez said the cases will be filed with the Court of Tax Appeals with Curlee and Sarah respectively as a respondent in each.

These are for violations of Sections 254 (Willful Attempt to Evade or Defeat Taxes) and 255 (Willful Failure to Supply Correct and Accurate Information) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

According to Martinez, the DOJ resolved five complaints involving the couple. 

The couple's spokesperson, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego, declined to comment.

In September 2025, the Discayas 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 scheme.

They initially expressed interest in being state witnesses and were provisionally accepted to the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program.

However, they stopped coordinating with the Justice Department and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) after a media interview with former ICI Commissioner Rogelio Singson saying that no one was qualified to be a state witness yet.

Currently, former Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, ex-DPWH Bulacan District Engineer Henry Alcantara, former DPWH Engr. Gerard Opulencia, and contractor Sally Santos have been named as state witnesses. 

Sarah is currently committed at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail while Curlee is under the custody of the Senate.

In December 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman charged Sarah and others over a P96.5-million ghost flood control project in the Davao Occidental.

They have pleaded not guilty to graft and malversation charges. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News