Discayas link solons, DPWH execs to flood control project kickbacks

Sarah Discaya and her husband, Pacifico, on Monday, Sept. 8, dropped a bombshell, alleging that lawmakers and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials routinely demanded kickbacks of up to 25 percent from government-funded flood control projects, who told them that their undertakings would be stalled unless payments were made.

- DHEL NAZARIO

In their testimony made during the third Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing into the anomalous flood control projects, they said the percentages demanded from them ranged from 10 percent to as high as 25 percent of project costs. Payments, they added, were made in cash and carefully recorded in vouchers and ledgers showing the amounts, dates, and recipients.

• "After we won the biddings, officials from the DPWH approached us to demand and take their share from the value of the project," the contractors declared in their sworn statement.

• The sworn statement identified several politicians and officials who allegedly benefited from the scheme, including:

• Terence Calatrava, former undersecretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas USWAG Ilonggo Party-list Rep.

• Jojo Ang Quezon City Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas AGAP Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones San Jose del Monte Bulacan Rep. Florida Robes Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona Former congressman Benjamin Agarao Jr. Former congressman Florencio Gabriel Noel Occidental Mindoro Rep. Odie Tarriela Quezon Rep. Reynante Arrogancia Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo Former congressman Teodorico Haresco Jr. Former congresswoman Antonieta Eudela Caloocan Rep. Dean Asistio Quezon City Rep. Marivic CoPilar

The Discayas also implicated DPWH officials and district engineers as conduits for collecting the kickbacks, including Regional Director Eduardo Virgilio of Region 5, Unified Management UPMO Director Ramon Ariola III, Bulacan First District Engineer Henry Alcantara, Undersecretary Robert Bernardo, Metro First Pasig City District Engineer Aristotle Ramos, North Manila District Engineer Manny Bulusan, Bulacan Sub-DEO District Engineer Edgardo Pingol, and Quezon Second DEO District Engineer Michael Rosaria.