The Manila Times

Senate to turn over Curlee Discaya to PNP

THE Senate will turn over contractor Curlee Discaya to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday. Discaya had been under Senate custody since September last year after being cited in contempt by the Blue Ribbon Committee for not cooperating with its investigation on the flood control fund scandal. The PNP is expected to implement the warrant of arrest issued by the Bulacan Regional Trial Court (RTC), where Discaya and his wife Sarah, face graft and malversation charges for their alleged involvement in an anomalous flood control project in the province. Senate President Pro Tempore Win Gatchalian said Discaya was not invited to attend the hearing on the flood control fund scandal to be conducted by Sen. Erwin Tulfo, chairman of the blue ribbon panel under the “new” majority bloc. “The DILG and PNP have coordinated with us for his turnover,” Gatchalian said. The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday filed graft and malversation charges against the Discaya couple and several local public works officials for alleged irregularities in a flood control project in Calumpit, Bulacan. Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the transaction “resulted in unwarranted benefits amounting to P53 million” for the Discayas’ construction firm. “The findings of the Ombudsman reveal an utter and flagrant violation for government accounting and auditing regulations, specifically, investigators discovered that payment for the project’s first billing was released despite an unapproved disbursement voucher,” Clavano said.