Curlee Discaya leaves Senate for Bulacan jail
CITY OF MALOLOS—From the Senate, contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II was transferred to Bulacan on Monday to face graft and malversation charges for his alleged involvement in irregularities surrounding a P53.9-million flood control project in Calumpit town.
Discaya, who had been detained at the Senate for more than nine months after being cited in contempt, was escorted to the Bulacan Provincial Jail by personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Bulacan police, who were led by Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges on June 4 against Discaya, his wife Cezarah “Sarah,” and nine others, mostly current and former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office.
Remulla arrived at the Bulacan Regional Trial Court (RTC) compound in this city around 10 a.m., shortly before Discaya and his lawyers arrived. The contractor was fetched from the Senate at about 7 a.m. and brought to Bulacan for inquest proceedings and his turnover to local authorities.
Judge Mirasol Ong Dychingco of the Bulacan RTC Branch 20 will hear the graft and malversation cases against Discaya and his coaccused.
Aside from the Discaya couple, whom the Ombudsman said were the beneficial owners of St. Timothy Construction Corporation, also charged were the company’s managing officer, Ma. Angeline Discaya-Rimando, and former and current DPWH officials Merg Jaron Caparas Laus, Brice Ericson Diaz Hernandez, Jaypee De Leon Mendoza, Ernesto Cosay Galang, Norberto de Leon Santos, Lorenzo Alcoriza Pagtalunan, Juanito Coronel Mendoza, and Floralyn Yutuc Simbulan.
2 still at large
Remulla said that, except for Galang and Pagtalunan, all of the respondents were in custody. Sarah Discaya is currently detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Jail on a separate graft and malversation case over the alleged P96.5-million “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
Santos, 63, of Bustos town, voluntarily surrendered to the Bulacan Provincial Intelligence Unit headed by Maj. Mark Anthony Tiongson on Friday night, while Laus turned herself in to the Bulacan Provincial Police Office’s 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company under Col. Norheda Usman on Saturday.
“It is up to the court to decide where Curlee Discaya will ultimately be detained. But this is to show that he will be treated the same as any ordinary person deprived of liberty and not as a VIP,” Remulla told reporters.
Under fire
The Discayas were investigated last year for owning construction firms linked to suspected anomalous government infrastructure projects nationwide. Two of their companies, Alpha & Omega and St. Timothy, were among the top 15 contractors that cornered the most number of flood control projects nationwide, according to a list released by Malacañang.
Curlee Discaya’s lawyer, Cornelio Samaniego, said the defense would exhaust all legal remedies to secure his client’s temporary release through bail.
“Not all offenses classified as nonbailable automatically mean bail cannot be granted,” Samaniego said. “We will file a petition for bail and demonstrate that the evidence against him is not strong.”
Disappointed
According to the lawyer, his client was disappointed by the turn of events, especially after he allegedly exposed irregularities within the DPWH.
“He gave names and exposed the system in the DPWH, but this is what he gets in return,” Samaniego said.
Despite the charges, Discaya is prepared to face the legal battle and remains confident that they can challenge the prosecution’s evidence, he added.
“We cannot stop the government from filing charges. All we can do is go through the legal process and defend our client,” he said.
Samaniego also confirmed earlier reports that Discaya is prepared to identify as many as 150 additional individuals allegedly involved in the flood control project controversy.
According to the lawyer, Discaya was unable to immediately recall all the names following his arrest and detention. However, his prolonged stay in the custody of the Senate gave him time to piece together more information.
“The names came back to him one by one. Let’s just wait for him to reveal them when the proper time comes,” Samaniego said. —WITH REPORTS FROM KEITH CLORES AND INQUIRER RESEARCH
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