Metro Manila, Philippines – Controversial contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and three former public works engineers tagged in the flood control corruption scandal will spend the holidays in Senate detention after senators denied their request for furlough or temporary leave.
In a statement on Tuesday, Dec. 23, Senate President Pro Tempore and Blue Ribbon Committee chair Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he recommended the denial of the Christmas furlough request of Discaya, as well as former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza.
Lacson said Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III approved his recommendation.
He cited security concerns, particularly amid the possible issuance of arrest warrants against them before Christmas.
“So the risk of escape becomes greater – not to mention that it makes no sense to grant such requests for Christmas leave if indeed warrants are coming out by then,” Lacson said.
Discaya and the former government engineers have been detained at the Senate since September after being cited in contempt for allegedly lying or evading lawmakers’ questions during the Blue Ribbon Committee probe.
They are accused of corruption involving anomalous flood control projects, where government officials and personnel, in connivance with contractors, allegedly pocketed kickbacks. Discaya’s wife, Sarah, is now detained in Lapu-Lapu, Cebu, facing graft and malversation charges involving ghost flood control projects in Davao Occidental.
In an earlier chance interview on Dec. 11, Sotto said Curlee Discaya and the former DPWH engineers will remain in Senate detention unless a court issues arrest warrants, in which case they would be turned over to law enforcement authorities. At that time, Sotto said they had not made any request for leave from the detention facility for the holidays.
