By Wilnard Bacelonia

Contractor couple Pacifico ‘Curlee’ and Cezarah Rowena ‘Sarah’ Discaya. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan) 

MANILA – A Pasay City court has upheld the Senate’s authority to cite a resource person in contempt, dismissing the petition filed by contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya questioning his detention.

In a copy of the decision sent to the media on Monday by the office of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 297 ruled that Discaya failed to prove grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Senate and sustained the validity of the contempt citation issued during a legislative inquiry.

Discaya was cited in contempt by the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon) after discrepancies emerged in the explanations given regarding the absence of his wife, Sarah, during the proceedings on Sept. 18, 2025.

The court found that the petitioner was accorded due process, noting that the chairperson of the committee, Senator Panfilo Lacson, was “explicitly mindful of due process” and even directed Discaya to explain why he should not be cited in contempt.

Judge Ronald August Tan pointed out that during the Blue Ribbon proceedings, Discaya had already received and read into the record the written explanation of his wife regarding her non-appearance.

However, the letter cited a scheduled employee meeting as the sole reason for her absence, which the court noted was inconsistent with Discaya’s earlier claim that her absence was due to a medical condition.

The discrepancy, the court said, raised questions about the consistency of the couple’s statements during the inquiry, leading to the panel’s decision to cite Discaya in contempt.

The RTC affirmed that the Blue Ribbon Committee acted within its constitutional and legal mandate in conducting the legislative inquiry and in exercising its power to cite resource persons in contempt when warranted.

The Senate reiterated its commitment to uphold the rule of law and respect judicial review as a safeguard in maintaining the constitutional balance among the three branches of government. (PNA)