Contractor Curlee Discaya issued a defiant statement after being arrested Friday in connection with a malversation case involving an allegedly anomalous flood control project in Bulacan, claiming that he has yet to disclose the names of more than 150 individuals he says are connected to the controversy.
Discaya was taken into custody after authorities served a warrant linked to a P53.9-million flood control project in Calumpit, Bulacan. The arrest came while he was already being held at the Senate following a contempt order issued during hearings investigating alleged corruption in government-funded flood control projects.
Hours after his arrest, Discaya released a statement accusing powerful figures of abandoning him and attempting to silence him.
“Mga politikong manggagamit! Ginamit at pinabayaan nila ako. Ipinakulong ako dito sa Senado para mabusalan ang bibig ko! Ngayon wala na ako sa Senado, marami pa akong papangalanang politiko. Damay-damay na lahat!” he said.
Discaya suggested that only a small portion of the personalities he claims are connected to the alleged scheme have been publicly identified.
“Sa 17 na nasa kapangyarihan pa lang na nabanggit namin, binusalan at ikinulong n’yo ako ng siyam na buwan. Bakit ko pa babanggitin ang mga pangalan ng 150-plus pa na nasa kapangyarihan?” he added.
The contractor and his wife, Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, previously appeared before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, where they alleged that lawmakers and government officials demanded kickbacks from flood control projects funded by taxpayers. During their testimony, the couple claimed that commissions ranging from 10 percent to 25 percent were routinely collected from contractors and that records existed documenting the transactions.
Despite the allegations they raised, the Discayas consistently maintained that their companies did not undertake ghost projects and complied with government specifications and project requirements.
In his latest statement, Discaya reiterated that position.
“Dahil wala kaming ghost project at substandard project, tinupad namin nang maayos kung ano ang nakasaad sa kontrata,” he said.
He also apologized to those affected by the controversy and claimed that he and his family had been used by individuals in positions of power.
The arrest marks the latest development in the widening flood control scandal, which has become one of the country’s most politically charged investigations. While authorities continue to pursue cases linked to the controversy, Discaya’s latest statement signals that he intends to continue speaking out despite now facing criminal charges.
Corruption is and has always been the Philippines’ biggest problem. Throughout the Senate’s flood control investigation, House Speaker Martin Romualdez emerged as one of the highest-profile political figures linked to the allegations raised by contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya. Romualdez has repeatedly denied any involvement in the alleged kickback scheme and has rejected accusations connecting him to the controversy.
With Discaya now claiming that more than 150 names have yet to be disclosed, attention is likely to remain fixed not only on the case against him, but also on whether the broader allegations
