Contractor couple Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya have released a sworn statement to the Senate implicating several congressmen and DPWH officials in an alleged kickback scheme. According to them, since 2016, it has been normal for them to give 10% to 25% of project funds as a condition for obtaining government contracts.
In their statement, Discaya said they often personally handed over the money or channeled it through district engineers and project officials who allegedly worked for politicians. They also mentioned that the money demanded sometimes reached ₱30 million for a single project, and this was recorded in vouchers and ledgers that will be submitted at the next hearing.
The couple added that if they did not give a “cut,” they were tortured with stop orders, disapproval of project plans, or sudden blocking of the right-of-way. As a result, they were forced to comply due to the threat of delisting, project cancellation, or possible disaster.
They also said that in addition to the 25% for the legislator, there is an additional 5% parking fee, which is why up to 30% is lost in each contract. Despite this, they insisted that they still follow the correct specifications of the projects even though their profit is small—often only 2% to 5%.
Meanwhile, several senators like Raffy Tulfo and Jinggoy Estrada questioned Discaya's statements. Tulfo also criticized the unfinished ₱30 million project at UP Manila held by the couple's company. Despite the allegations, several lawmakers and Rep. Zaldy Co immediately denied the accusations and called it politically motivated.
