Seventeen lawmakers implicated by contractor couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya skipped the Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s hearing on flood control corruption, citing concerns over prejudicing the ongoing investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
The lawmakers, through Speaker Faustino Dy III, stated that they had already submitted to the ICI’s jurisdiction and feared that a simultaneous legislative inquiry could affect its findings.
Despite their absence, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson continued the probe, allowing the Discayas to retrieve and present alleged ledgers showing kickbacks to several legislators.
The ledgers reportedly included names such as Roman Romulo, Marvin Rillo, Dean Asistio, Patrick Michael Vargas, Marivic Co-Pilar, and Jojo Ang, as well as former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and former OPAV undersecretary Terence Calatrava.
Other notable absentees included former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, and Ako Bicol’s Zaldy Co, who could not attend due to being abroad for medical reasons.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 15, 2025
