Senate President Vicente Sotto III has denied the request of Senator Rodante Marcoleta to include Sarah and Curlee Discaya in the DOJ's Witness Protection Program. The couple is being investigated for alleged irregularities in flood control projects worth millions of pesos.
According to Sotto, it is unfair to give them government protection while they are not returning the public money they allegedly took. He insisted that to become state witnesses, they must tell the truth and return their earnings. He further said that their statements in the Senate and the House differed, making it appear that they are not being honest.
Marcoleta, on the other hand, insisted that rejecting the recommendation could damage the integrity of the investigation. According to him, the committee promised to help Discaya due to the threat to their lives and families. That is why he asked that the matter be taken seriously.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla supported Sotto's stance. He explained that Discaya can only be a state witness if they are not the main culprits and if they return the money collected from the projects. Based on the law, restitution or return of money cannot be postponed.
For now, Sotto is still awaiting the recommendation of Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, as the new head of the Blue Ribbon Committee, regarding the request to include Discaya in the witness protection program.
