Bulacan, Philippines – After nine months in Senate detention, contractor Curlee Discaya was arrested and detained in a regular facility on Monday, June 8 for a non-bailable malversation case linked to the flood control scandal.
Members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) made the arrest inside the Senate premises on Monday morning.
Discaya was later transferred to the Bulacan Provincial Jail after the return of a warrant at the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 20 where the case was filed.
He has been in Senate custody since September over a contempt ruling during the blue ribbon committee flood control investigation.
In a chance interview, Cornelio Samaniego, Discaya’s lawyer, said the contractor will file a petition for bail as a legal remedy. He vowed to convince the court that his client’s “guilt is not strong.”
“Confident siya na malulusutan niya kasi nadamay siya dito bilang beneficial owner ng St. Timothy, patutunayan namin na hindi sya beneficial owner,” Samaniego said, referring to St. Timothy Construction Corp., the company that contracted the supposed substandard river rehabilitation structure in Calumpit, Bulacan, where the graft and malversation case stemmed from.
In its press briefer, the Office of the Ombudsman said its investigators found out that payments for the project’s first billing were issued to the company despite an unapproved disbursement voucher. They also discovered that full payments for dredging and embankment items were made without any basis for computation and proper supporting documentation.
On Discaya’s medical condition, Samaniego noted that he will not file a motion for hospital arrest despite a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, he also said Discaya plans to drop more than 150 names who are allegedly involved in the corruption scheme, if he is given an opportunity.
Samaniego, however, stopped short of naming names and commenting whether or not the list has high-ranking officials.
Nine in custody, two at large
In a chance interview, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said nine out of the 11 accused are already in custody.
Three accused are in Malolos, Bulacan.
Two suspects including Curlee’s wife, Sarah, are detained in Cebu for a separate malversation case, while four others are in New Quezon City Jail Male and Female Dormitories.
The other co-accused include Ma. Angeline Rimando, Discaya’s colleague at St. Timothy Construction Corp. and the following public works officials:
- Merg Jaron Laus
- Brice Hernandez
- Jaypee Mendoza
- Ernesto Galang
- Norberto Santos
- Lorenzo Pagtalunan
- Juanito Mendoza
- Floralyn Simbulan
Remulla said Galang and Pagtalunan remain at large.
PCol John Guiagui, chief of the CIDG-National Capital Region noted that manhunt operations are underway to locate the two suspects.
“We’ve been monitoring, wala sila sa mga bahay nila,” he said.
“Much better na dumulog na lang kayo sa amin, you can call us anytime through your lawyers. But with or without your surrender, we’ll be going after you,” he added.
[Translation: We’ve been monitoring…They are not in their address…It’s much better to surrender to us. You can call us anytime through your lawyers. But with or without your surrender, we will be going after you.]
