Senate Cites Curlee Discaya in Contempt, Contractor Refuses To Answer Lots of Questions
CURLEE DISCAYA – The controversial contractor refused to answer Senator Risa Hontiveros’ question about the size of the “paper bag” that was used for the money allegedly given to government officials.
The contractors flagged by President Bongbong Marcos were among the personalities invited by the Senate and the House of Representatives in their flood probes. Marcos Jr. claimed that 15 contractors got around P100 billion from the total P545 billion spent by the government on flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025.
The President tagged the P545-billion spending of the government on flood control projects as “enormous”. Here are the 15 contractors flagged by the Chief Executive to have received around 18% of the country’s total spending on government flood control deals under his term:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
Pres. Bongbong Marcos also claimed that five (5) contractors allegedly have flood control projects in almost all regions across the nation. One of them is the Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp. owned by the controversial Discaya couple, Mr. Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Mrs. Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya.
In a previous Senate hearing, Curlee Discaya read a joint affidavit between him and his wife containing the names of the officials of the government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) who allegedly receive kickbacks from the flood control projects. They mentioned the following names:
- Quezon City Cong. Arjo Atayde
- Pasig Cong. Roman Romulo
- Marikina Cong. Marcy Teodoro
- Leyte Cong. Martin Romualdez
- Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co
- Terence Calatrava, Former Undersecretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas of the Philippines
- USWAG Ilonggo Party-list Rep. Jojo Ang
- Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas
- AGAP Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones
- San Jose del Monte Bulacan Rep. Florida Robes
- Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona
- Former congressman Benjamin Agarao, Jr.
- Former congressman Florencio Gabriel Noel
- Occidental Mindoro Rep. Odie Tarriela
- Quezon Rep. Reynante Arrogancia
- Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo
- Former congressman Teodorico Haresco, Jr.
- Former congressman Antonieta Eudela
- Caloocan Rep. Dean Asistio
- Quezon City Rep. Marivic Co-Pilar
Currently, there is an ongoing Senate flood probe. However, only Curlee Discaya appeared at the Senate this time. According to him, his wife, Sarah Discaya, allegedly has a “heart condition”. However, Mrs. Discaya cited a different reason in her letter addressed to Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Sen. Ping Lacson.
Curlee Discaya was cited in contempt for allegedly lying about the reason behind the absence of his wife at the Senate hearing. Based on the letter of Mrs. Sarah Discaya, she has a scheduled meeting with the employees of her companies regarding their business’ situation.
Aside from being cited in contempt, Curlee Discaya refused to answer several questions during the Senate hearing — including the question of Sen. Risa Hontiveros about the size of “paper bag” used for the money allegedly given to government officials. She pressed and asked again which led to Discaya saying they just used small ordinary paper bags.
“Maliit na ordinary paper bag? Paano po nagkasya nagksaya dun ang malalaking halaga ng pera, sabi niyo, ‘malalaking cash’. Paano po nagkasya sa maliliit at ordinaryong paper bags?”
Curlee Discaya once again invoked his right against self-incrimination. The Senator even pointed out that Discaya invoked his right against self-incrimination on just a question about the kind of paper bag.
“For the record Mr. Chair ngayon lang ako nakarinig ng nag-invoke ng right against self-incrimination sa isyu ng paper bags,” Hontiveros said during the Senate hearing.
Several government and DPWH officials junked the claims of the Discaya couple. Actor-turned-politician, Quezon City Cong. Arjo Atayde, denied the claims of the Discayas that he allegedly received kickback from the flood control projects.