The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ordered the detention of contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II after finding that he lied under oath during its investigation into alleged irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control projects.
Committee chair and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson made the ruling during Thursday’s hearing, declaring, “There’s no objection? Mr. Discaya, you are hereby cited in contempt of this committee.”
The move stemmed from questions about the absence of Discaya’s wife and business partner, Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who had been summoned to appear alongside him.
Pressed by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on her whereabouts, Discaya claimed that his wife had sent an excuse letter saying she could not attend the hearing “due to valid reasons.”
When Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked him to clarify, Discaya added that she had a “heart condition” and had also submitted a letter, though he admitted he had not read the rest of its contents.
However, Lacson later read aloud Sarah’s actual letter to the committee, which stated that she skipped the hearing because she needed to meet with her employees to explain the controversy surrounding their company — contradicting her husband’s testimony.
Finding that Discaya had lied under oath, the committee voted to hold him in contempt, allowing the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to detain him until he purges himself of the offense or until the panel orders his release.