Updates with a reaction from the chair of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture who was among those included in the Discaya bribe list
CONTRACTORS Cezarah Rowena and Pacifico Discaya II on Monday named several House representatives, including Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Zaldy Co, as well as district and regional engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to whom they have allegedly been giving “advance commissions” to bag infrastructure contracts.
The Discaya couple submitted a sworn affidavit to the Senate, which they read out during the hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee on anomalous flood-control projects.
The Discayas claimed they have given at least 25 percent of the total project cost to the congressmen and DPWH officials — in amounts that were either picked up by their respective bagmen or handed to the congressmen either at a hotel or their offices.
At the hearing, the following names appeared on the sworn affidavit submitted by the Discaya couple:
Congress representatives:
* Rep. Roman Romulo, Pasig City
* Rep. Jojo Ang Uswag, Ilonggo PL
* Rep. Patrick Michael Vargas, QC
* Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde, QC
* Rep. Nicanor Briones, AGAP PL
* Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, Marikina
* Rep. Florida Robes, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan
* Rep. Jesus Madrona, Romblon
* Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr., Laguna
* Rep. Florencion Gabriel Noel, Anwaray PL
* Rep. Leody Tariela, Mindoro Occidental
* Rep. Reynante Arrogancia, Quezon
* Rep. Marvin Rillo, QC
* Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr., Aklan
* Rep. Antonieta Eudela, Zamboanga-Sibugay * Rep. Dean Asistio, Caloocan
* Rep. Marivic Co-Pilar, QC
Office of the President
* Terence Calatrava, former undersecretary, Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas
DPWH officials
* Regional Director Eduarte Virgilio, DPWH Region 5
* Dir. Ramon Arriola, Unified Project Management Office
* District Engr. (DE) Henry Alcantara, Bulacan 1st Engineering District
* Usec. Robert Bernardo
* DE Aristotle Ramos, DPWH Metro Manila 1st;
* DE Manny Bulusan, DPWH North Manila District Engineering Office
* DE Edgardo Pingol, Bulacan sub-district engineering office
* DE Michael Rosaria, DPWH Quezon 2nd district engineering office.
In their affidavit, the Discayas alleged that the DPWH officials told them they needed to pay at least 25 percent of the total project cost to Rep. Zaldy Co.
“Most of those employed by the DPWH whose names appear on the list have repeatedly mentioned the money delivered was for Zaldy Co, which should be at least 25 percent,” they said.
The Discayas likewise quoted Rep. Rillo as allegedly namedropping, specifically mentioning the name of Speaker Romualdez as his “close friend.”
They said at the hearing: “Cong. Marvin Rillo has many times mentioned the name of Speaker Martin Romualdez as his close friend.”Sought for comment, Representative Romulo denied the Discayas’ allegation that he was among the lawmakers who demanded a commission from her companies’ public works projects.
“Not true. I’m only in a committee meeting,” the chair of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture said in a text message to this reporter.
The House leadership has yet to issue a reaction to the allegations made by the Discaya couple.
