By Leonel Abasola

SENATE PROBE. Businesswoman Cezarah Rowena Discaya responds to questions during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged anomalous flood control projects at the Senate on Monday (Sept. 1, 2025). Discaya’s husband, Curlee, is among the personalities being summoned by the committee for its next hearing set on Sept. 8. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – The Senate on Thursday ordered five government contractors and three Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials to appear in next week’s continuation of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on allegedly anomalous flood control projects.

Upon the recommendation of Committee Chairperson Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, Senate President Francis Escudero approved the issuance of subpoenas ad testificandum summoning the following persons:

— Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II, authorized managing officer of Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corporation
— Darcy Kimel D.J. Respicio, general manager of Darcy & Anna Builders and Trading
— Sally Santos, owner/manager of SYMS Construction Trading
— Maritoni Melegrito, authorized managing officer of Elite General Contractor and Development Corporation
— Edgardo Saggum, owner/manager of Eddmari Construction and Trading
— Engr. Jaypee Mendoza, chief, construction division, Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office
— Engr. Juanito C. Mendoza, accountant III, Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office, DPWH
— Engr. Brice Ericson Hernandez, former Bulacan 1st district assistant engineer

Curlee is the husband of Cezarah Rowena Discaya, who testified in the committee’s hearing on Sept. 1. Their companies and joint ventures reportedly bagged PHP31 billion in flood control projects from 2022 to 2025.

Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba, meanwhile, has been ordered to submit to the committee the agency’s fraud audit highlights in its review of DPWH flood control projects, including the responses of the respondents to the findings.

“Let the axe fall on all the personalities found guilty of scheming, conniving and carrying out fraudulent acts in the guise of legitimate taxpayer-funded flood control projects,” Escudero said in a statement.

The next Blue Ribbon hearing is scheduled on Sept. 8.

The committee is scrutinizing alleged ghost and substandard projects under the government’s flood control program, with senators saying billions in pesos in public funds may have been misused. (PNA)