Discaya claims to be probed by independent commission - Marcos

Metro Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that allegations of corruption raised by government contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya will be investigated by an independent commission, which he vowed will be free of political influence.

The Discayas, testifying Monday before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, accused several members of the House of Representatives and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways of demanding money in exchange for government projects. They described the scheme as an entrenched kickback system involving flood control projects.

The Discayas asked the Senate for protection and said they are willing to testify as state witnesses.

Marcos, speaking with reporters in Cambodia, clarified that the accusations remain allegations.

“Yeah, can I correct that? These are not revelations, they are allegations. That’s a very different… Allegations and revelations are extremely different,” Marcos said in Filipino.

He noted that the alleged corruption dates back to 2003.

“What has come out since this investigation began is that this has been going on for a long time, like mold that has deeply rooted itself in the system,” he said in Filipino.

Marcos said the commission will be formed before the end of the week, with its members and powers to be announced by the end of the week. He stressed that the body will be composed of lawyers and investigators, not politicians.

“Our investigation must be thorough and detailed. That will be the job of our independent commission,” he said.

Asked about Curlee Discaya’s request for protection, Marcos said the government is prepared to provide security under the witness protection program or outside it if a threat is identified.

“Not because they are making allegations, not because they are part of the investigation, but because they are Filipinos. They need to be protected against any kind of threat that they are facing,” he said.

The president also addressed Discaya’s mention of House Speaker Martin Romualdez in the Senate hearing, saying it appeared to be name-dropping.

“All of us suffer from that — people say ‘the President ordered it,’ ‘the Secretary ordered it,’ when it isn’t true,” he said.

While name-dropping itself is not a crime, Marcos said it becomes criminal when used to commit theft.

“But what is a crime is when you use someone else’s name to steal,” he said.

Next steps

Marcos said the independent commission will likely prioritize allegations involving the DPWH and some lawmakers but emphasized the probe will be independent of existing testimonies.

“We will dismantle that system. It cannot be allowed to continue,” he said in Filipino.