3 cited in contempt at Senate flood probe

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee yesterday cited in contempt dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways-Bulacan first district engineer Henry Alcantara, DPWH assistant district engineer Jaypee Mendoza and contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya for allegedly lying when confronted about their role in ghost or substandard flood control projects.

- MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson led the fourth Senate flood control corruption investigation and his first as new Blue Ribbon chair - wherein senators took issue with Alcantara's blanket denials and Discaya's invocation of his right against selfincrimination.

Alcantara was cited in contempt after he denied knowing about the ghost projects.

Discaya, meanwhile, was cited in contempt after claiming his wife, Sarah Discaya, had asked to be excused from the hearing due to her medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

But in her letter to the committee which Lacson read out, Sarah Discaya said she would not be able to attend because "regrettably, I have an important meeting with my employees on the day of the hearing to explain the problem that the company is facing now and the effects this has on them" and that she could "no longer cancel the meeting set." Sen. Erwin Tulfo slammed Curlee for lying before the committee about his wife's reason for not attending the hearing.