SENATE HEARING REVEALS PHP 13.8B BUDGET INSERTIONS, KICKBACK SCHEME IN FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumed its investigation on Monday, September 8, into the alleged anomalies surrounding flood control projects.

During the hearing Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco questions the allegedly 13.8 billion peso worth of insertions made by the House Appropriations Committee Chairman Zaldy Co in other districts.

He adds that he is testifying before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee because colleagues in the House refused to let him speak and invite Zaldy Co to explain.

And in a sworn affidavit from spouses Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Cruz Discaya alleged a systematic kickback scheme, and they named numerous members of the House of Representatives and senior officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways` (DPWH).

Those named include Cong. Roman Romulo of Pasig City, Cong. Jojo Ang of Usbag Ilongo Partylist, Cong. Patrick Michael Vargas of Quezon City, and fourteen other congressmen from various districts and also named several DPWH officials they claim were allegedly involved in the issue, among them are Regional Director Eduardo Virgilio, Director Ramon Ariola III, and Undersecretary Robert Bernardo as well as multiple district engineers also they further implicated Terrence Calatrava the former Undersecretary in the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas.

Curlee Discaya also revealed that the demanded kickback ranged from 10 to 25 percent of project costs and alleged the staff members of politicians also requested cuts in exchange for project awards.

Additionally, in the same hearing Former DPWH engineer Brice Hernandez faced questioning over casino winnings and suspicious assets, he denied using an alias at a casino.

However, committee members presented evidence contradicting his testimony, including a casino membership card under the alias “Marvin Santos De Guzman” linked to Hernandez’s driver’s license.

Similarly, the report shows the aliases of his former colleagues, Ex-DPWH engr. Henry Alcantara and Ex-DPWH engr. Jaypee Mendoza, were also revealed.

The Senate cited Hernandez in contempt for his contradictory testimony.