Government contractor Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya on Friday named several incumbent and former House members on his payoff ledger.
Discaya bared the contents of this ledger during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing.
The contractor named in his payoff ledger Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, Quezon City 4th District Rep. Marvin Rillo, Caloocan 3rd District Rep. Dean Asistio, Quezon City 5th District Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas, Quezon City 6th District Rep. Marvin Co-Pilar and Uswag Ilonggo party-list Rep. Jojo Ang.
Also named by Discaya were former Undersecretary Terence Calatrava of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas and former Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.
These individuals were among the 17 personalities already accused by Discaya of allegedly soliciting money from them after they won in a government project bid.
All of the lawmakers and Calatrava denied the accusation of Discaya.
Bernardo, who is also in the hearing to testify and implicate senators in the kickback scandal, was also asked to react on Discaya’s ledger which mentioned him.
The former undersecretary, citing Discaya’s testimony, said that the alleged payoff was given to Manny Bulusan of the DPWH-North Manila District Engineering Office and not to him.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian pressed Bernardo: ‘You are not denying that it came from Mr. Discaya, or you just don’t remember?’
‘I don’t remember,’ Bernardo replied.
‘You just need to check?’ Gatchalian asked, to which Bernardo answered in the affirmative.
This ledger is just partial since Discaya said he was not able to get them all when he was briefly released in detention on Friday, accompanied by Senate security to obtain the document in his residence.
Committee chairman Panfilo Lacson then told Discaya to obtain all of the ledgers which contained the names of all lawmakers he implicated in his previous testimony.
Discaya remains in Senate detention after being cited for contempt by Lacson on Sept. 18 for lying about the reason behind his wife Cezarah’s absence.
Lacson said he will write a request to Senate President Vicente Sotto III to allow Discaya to return to his residence and get all the documents needed.
‘We will allow you to go back. I will write to the Senate president as to when, but take everything you need and don’t go back and forth,’ Lacson said.
‘Maybe you just want to go home,’ the senator quipped.
‘That’s true, because I miss my children and my house,’ Discaya told the senator.