Lacson: No Holiday Furlough for Discaya, 3 Former DPWH Engineers

Due to security concerns, there will be no holiday furlough for contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and three former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers detained in the Senate in connection with the flood control project scandal, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probing the issue, said Senate President Vicente Sotto III approved his recommendation to deny the leave requests of Discaya and former engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza and Henry Alcantara.

“I recommended to the Senate President that their request for Christmas furlough be denied mainly for security reasons, owing to the repeated media statements from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that arrest warrants against them will be issued before Christmas,” Lacson said.

“So the risk of escape becomes greater – not to mention that it makes no sense to grant such requests for Christmas leave if indeed warrants are coming out by then,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Walang Holiday Furlough para kina Discaya, 3 Dating Inhinyero ng DPWH

Discaya and the former DPWH engineers were detained at the Senate after being cited in contempt by the Blue Ribbon Committee for refusing to cooperate in its flood control project investigation. Alcantara sought a holiday leave through the Department of Justice (DOJ), Lacson noted.

Lacson said Sotto approved his recommendation, saying that he will only allow the four to hear Mass in the Senate, and that their families may visit them – and nothing outside the Senate premises.

“That’s the most that we can allow given the circumstances,” Lacson said in agreeing with Sotto’s decision.

Meanwhile, Lacson expressed hopes that the Office of the Ombudsman can make good on its publicly stated timelines to file charges against those found responsible before the Sandiganbayan and other venues, if only to send a clear message that they cannot get away with stealing Filipinos’ hard-earned taxes.

He noted this should also help discourage “incorrigible” members who remain unfazed by the public’s anger over corruption and scrutiny of the 2026 budget measure, as well as his and like-minded colleagues’ efforts to rid the budget of “pork” and self-aggrandizing “insertions.”

“I hope the Office of the Ombudsman can make good on their publicly stated timelines to file the information before the Sandiganbayan and other venues, assuming that probable cause is clearly established against those responsible for the plunder of public funds, if only to strike fear among those who still entertain the idea that they can get away with stealing our citizens’ hard-earned tax money, especially now that the 2026 budget measure remains under public scrutiny in spite of our efforts to cleanse the same of ‘pork’ and self-aggrandizing ‘insertions’ possibly orchestrated by some incorrigible members of Congress,” Lacson said.

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Lacson: Walang Holiday Furlough para kina Discaya, 3 Dating Inhinyero ng DPWH

Dahil sa security concerns, hindi papayagan ang holiday furlough para sa kontratistang si Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II at sa mga dating inhinyero ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) na nakakulong sa Senado kaugnay ng iskandalo sa maanomalyang flood control projects, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes.

Ani Lacson, na chairman din ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na nagsisiyasat sa isyu, inaprubahan ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III ang kanyang rekomendasyon na tanggihan ang mga kahilingan sa leave nina Discaya at nina Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, at Henry Alcantara.

“I recommended to the Senate President that their request for Christmas furlough be denied mainly for security reasons, owing to the repeated media statements from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that arrest warrants against them will be issued before Christmas,” ani Lacson.

“So the risk of escape becomes greater – not to mention that it makes no sense to grant such requests for Christmas leave if indeed warrants are coming out by then,” dagdag niya.

Naka-detain sa Senado sina Discaya at ang mga dating inhinyero ng DPWH matapos silang ma-cite in contempt ng Blue Ribbon Committee dahil sa pagtanggi nilang makipagtulungan sa imbestigasyon nito sa mga flood control projects. Binanggit ni Lacson na dinaan ni Alcantara sa Department of Justice (DOJ) ang hiling niya para sa holiday leave.

Ani Lacson, inaprubahan ni Sotto ang kanyang rekomendasyon at papayagan lamang ang apat na mag-attend ng Misa sa loob ng Senado at tumanggap ng pagbisita mula sa kanilang mga pamilya — at wala nang iba pang aktibidad sa labas ng mga pasilidad ng Senado.

“That’s the most that we can allow given the circumstances,” ani Lacson, bilang pagsang-ayon sa naging desisyon ni Sotto.

Samantala, umaasa si Lacson na matutupad ng Office of the Ombudsman ang itinakdang timeline nito sa pagsasampa ng mga kaso laban sa mga napatunayang may pananagutan sa harap ng Sandiganbayan at iba pang kaukulang mga hukuman. Ito ay para bigyan ng malinaw na mensahe ang mga kinauukulan na hindi sila makaliligtas sa pagnanakaw ng pinaghirapang buwis ng mga Pilipino.

Aniya, makatutulong din ito upang matauhan ang mga walang kadala-dala na mambabatas na wala pa ring pakialam sa galit ng publiko laban sa katiwalian at sa masusing pagbusisi sa panukalang badyet para sa 2026 – gayundin sa mga pagsisikap ni Lacson at ng mga kasamahan niyang may kaparehong pananaw na purgahin sa badyet ang “pork” at mga “insertion” na nagsisilbi lamang sa pansariling kapakinabangan.

“I hope the Office of the Ombudsman can make good on their publicly stated timelines to file the information before the Sandiganbayan and other venues, assuming that probable cause is clearly established against those responsible for the plunder of public funds, if only to strike fear among those who still entertain the idea that they can get away with stealing our citizens’ hard-earned tax money, especially now that the 2026 budget measure remains under public scrutiny in spite of our efforts to cleanse the same of ‘pork’ and self-aggrandizing ‘insertions’ possibly orchestrated by some incorrigible members of Congress,” aniya.

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