‘I did not know the Discayas and that was the first and only time outside of the blue ribbon committee hearings that I met them.’
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson issued the statement Wednesday, addressing the circulating image of him with the controversial contractor couple Cezarah ‘Sarah’ and Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya.
According to Lacson, the photo was taken ‘sometime in the last week of April,’ near the end of the 90-day campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections, when Fred Villaroman, a campaign supporter from Davao City and son of the late Police Brigadier Francisco Villaroman, visited Lacson’s Taguig City office to invite him to a grand rally in Mindanao. Villaroman was accompanied by the Discayas’ son, Pacifico Felizario Discaya II, Lacson said, adding that he declined the invitation.
‘The young Discaya was a nominee of a party-list group-Ako Pinoy or Ako’y Pinoy-vying for a seat in Congress. They were later joined by Mr. and Mrs. Discaya. Anyway, I begged off-first, out of respect for my friend Senate President Tito Sotto whose nephew, Mayor Vico Sotto, was running against Mrs. Discaya for the mayorship of Pasig City,’ said Lacson.
‘And second, there were other party-list groups who were including my name in their sample ballots, and I thought it was not a smart political decision to join a rally of any party-list group,’ he added.
Lacson emphasized that he did not know the Discayas, and that event was the ‘first and only time’ outside the blue ribbon panel’s hearing that he met them.
‘That meeting took around 15-20 minutes, but not before that group photo was taken. I hope this clarifies whatever insinuations are being attached to this said photograph,’ said Lacson.
Lacson’s clarification followed a Facebook repost of the photo by Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga, who called for an investigation.
The Discayas were among the key resource persons invited by the blue ribbon to shed light on the alleged collusion among contractors, lawmakers, and officials.
Earlier, Curlee first named House members and government officials he alleged received kickbacks tied to public works projects