By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III, legal counsel and spokesperson of spouses Curlee and Sarah Discaya, on Wednesday (Sept. 10) said that they have already told the Senate that there were really no ghost projects.
Last Senate hearing, the Oriental Mindoro governor said that there was no project in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro but the coordinates were wrong.
The fight here is all about documents and not hearsay.
A certificate from the Municipality of Naujan stated that the flood mitigation project was 100% complete in Barangay Mag-asawang Tubig signed by Engr. Robert M. Gonda, Administrative Officer IV of Naujan and Municipal Assessor Marces A. Pangilinan.
The amount of the project is available on PhilGeps.
The Discaya couple have no ghost projects, hoping that the talks about it would now stop.
“Ang tubig pag tahimik mababaw. Pag maingay malalim,” he said. He was referring to the testimony of Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto before the House Infracomm yesterday.
In a press conference in Max’s Restaurant in Sct. Tuason, Atty. Samaniego said that
The sworn joint affidavit of the Discaya spouses used by Curlee Discaya was for the period from July 2022 up to present.
On the alleged exponential income of the Discaya couple, it was due to the many big projects they secured from the governnent as the nine companies they own are all Quadruple A construction companies.
If you are a quadruple A and Platinum card in the PhilGeps, it means you are financially capable to undertake big ticket projects but it does not necessarily mean that they always win in the biddings.
It so happen that Mam Sarah was already tired, hence she spoke that way.
During the last Senate hearing, they brought with them a lot of newspapers, which were not presented in the Senate.
The Discaya spouses were triggered by the protest action of the unruly crowd in the residence of the Discaya family because violence has no place In a democracy.
Curlee Discaya executed his sworn affidavit and Samaniego only came to know about it when they are already in the Senate.
Samaniego was designated by the Discaya couple and the ledger mentioned by Curlee jibed with the date of the collection of kickbacks and if they did not do that, they will be blocked in their construction industry.
On the interrogation of Reps. Garin and Isidro, it would appear that there was an exponential increase in the income of the Discaya couple.
Curlee already mentioned about the regional director of the DPWH who was asking for kickback.
They participated in the competitive public biddings under Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Law” and if they were qualified, they could have won the bidding.
From July 2022 until the present year was the period covered by the joint sworn affidavit of the Discaya spouses.
During the time of Arroyo, Noynoy Aquino, and Duterte, Curlee reported about alleged anomalies and published articles about agencies or a DPWH regional director and there’s no selective memory that is in compliance with the invitation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
If the fight will be in the court, the fight will be on the documents.
As a lawyer, we are careful in our action and it will be about the documents.
On the alleged 8 luxury cars of the Discayas which lack proper documents on the point of entry, Samaniego said, in any eventuality, they will go after the car dealers.
If the car dealers have problems with the Customs and the Discaya spouses are affected, definitely we will go after the car dealers.
All the 28 luxury cars of the Discaya family have their respective car plates and if the car dealers have problems with the port of entry, definitely we will go after these car dealers.
Those cars were marked, cordoned off, and seen by the Bureau of Customs, and they cannot be touched.
The court will decide on the matter and we respect the honorable lawmakers but in the end, the court will decide on the case.
Curlee has testified that he personally knew the personalities he identified and he has their text messages with his personal account and personal experience and he can stand firm with his testimony.
Curlee never mentioned any Senator who is involved in the alleged anomalies in the flood control projects.
Curlee also reported to then DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan about the alleged kickbacks but to no avail or it was just ignored.
As far as the Discaya couple are concerned, the BOC and the PNP Highway Patrol Group have the necessary documents about the 28 luxury cars and they will just comply if there’s any order about the alleged 15 luxury cars which lack proper documents.
The Discaya couple are receiving death threats, Samaniego said. ###
