By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — All the luxury cars of spouses Sarah and Curlee Discaya were legally acquired in their 23 years in the construction industry.
In a press conference in Max’s Restaurant in Sct. Tuazon, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, Legal Counsel and Spokesperson of the Discaya couple, said that they would not like to preempt the Senate hearing and it is now time to speak.
“Walang tinatago ang pamilya Discaya at haharapin namin ang subpoena ng Senado,” he said.
He said that the search warrant should identify the subject luxury cars and when Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno swooped down to the Discaya residence, the Discaya couple were surprised.
The luxury wars were not there when Nepomuceno arrived because they were utilized.
They have nothing to hide and the luxury cars were found by the BOC because they were legally acquired.
It’s the job of Commissioner Nepomuceno and they understood the official.
All were locally purchased. The spouses Discaya did not import the luxury cars.
All the luxury cars were legally purchased and they would not have been registered if they were illegally registered.
The spouses Discaya purchased the luxury cars from authorized car dealers.
He respects Sen. Jinggoy Estrada if that was the information he gathered that the Discaya couple have 80 luxury cars.
They will double check if there are really 80 luxury cars at the disposal of the spouses Discaya.
They really waited for the summons of the Senate and the House before they speak.
They were really devastated in the social media (socmed) and they are now speaking.
“The taking of selfies with politicians such as Chavit Singson is just normal it does not necessarily mean that you know him,” Samaniego said.
On Jan. 20, 2025 was the date of the tax clearance of St. Timothy, St. Gerard and Alpha and Omega, means to say that they have settled tax payments during the previous taxable years.
They have business clearance as of Jan. 20, 2025 and they would like the fight in the documents and not on the socmed.
“We don’t need to secure a mayor’s permit in Iloilo and it’s the DPWH who coordinates with the local government and not the company or the contractor but the implementing agency, which is the DPWH,” he said.
He did not read nor see what the good senator stated about the 80 luxury cars of the Discayas.
There were luxury cars which were already sold but the registration of ownership of which has not yet been transferred.
He begged not to talk about the children of the spouses Discaya who are now sick and he would only talk about the spouses Discaya.
He cited the Mega City Hall of Pasig which is still being demolished now.
There should be due process before any revocation, which if it’s surreptitiously revoked, there will be problems.
They will comply with the summons of the Senate.
“We are not disregarding the invitation of the House such that it’s logical that if you go to the Senate, you will also go to the House of Representatives,” he said.
“Why they should be jailed if all their documents are complete and approved in the NEP (National Expenditure Program) and the GAA (General Appropriations Act),” he added.
He explained that the approved projects are published by the implementing agency such as the DPWH in the NEP and GAA.
” There are no ghost projects and unprogramed projects or inserted in the NEP and GAA as far as St. Timothy, St. Gerrard and Alpha and Omega, which are all Quadruple A companies, and have the financial capacity to implement and execute the awarded projects,” he said.
The objective of the display of the luxury cars was merely to inspire the Filipino people, but it was used in poitics.
Of the nine companies, Sarah Discaya has already personally divested herself from eight companies, and she is really just connected in Apha and Omega.
“It’s natural reaction that if you are grilled in the Senate, you will also be pressured the same way the resource persons are treated,” he said.
Based on the testimony of Sarah Discaya in the Senate, they only have 28 luxury cars.
He agreed with the creation of the Independent Commission who will investigate the alleged anomalous flood control projects. ###
