MANILA — Construction companies linked to Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and his wife Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya may be slapped with penalties that could reach a staggering P300 billion — nearly four times the value of the contracts they secured — for alleged bid-rigging in government flood control projects.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Friday that the Discaya-controlled firms cornered 1,214 contracts worth almost P78 billion between 2016 and 2025. With fines of up to P250 million per rigged deal, the penalties could “far exceed the value of the projects themselves.”
“Mas malaki pa ang penalty kesa sa [amount] of contracts,” Dizon stressed, underscoring how the sanctions could dwarf the P77.934 billion worth of contracts won by the couple’s network.
The Department of Public Works and Highways has already filed two separate complaints before the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), which has the mandate to investigate and penalize anti-competitive practices.
One complaint involves Wawao Builders, IM Construction Corporation, SYMS Construction Trading, and St. Timothy Construction Corporation, along with personnel from DPWH’s Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office. The other targets Sunwest, Inc. and officials of DPWH Regional Office IV-B.
“Ang Discaya ang pinakamadami… Discaya ang champion dito,” Dizon remarked, noting that the couple’s companies cornered the lion’s share of the projects. “Kasi 2016 to 2025 ‘yun eh… [about] 1,200 plus contracts, flood…”
The DPWH chief said the agency has already provided the PCC with complete evidence, which should speed up the probe.
“Ang DPWH na mismo ang nag-provide ng mga ebidensiya so I would think na mas mabilis siguro ito dahil kumpleto na ang ebidensiya na binigay natin,” he said.
Dizon also pointed out that the Discayas had admitted to the scheme.
“In the case of the Discayas sila na mismo ang umamin na kasama sila sa bid-rigging… under oath nila sinabi ito sa Blue Ribbon so I would think these are circumstances that would help PCC to speed up the process,” he said.
During a Senate blue ribbon hearing in September, Curlee Discaya openly described how winning bidders were prearranged in government tenders. His wife Sarah also confirmed she owned nine construction firms, some of which ended up competing against each other for DPWH projects./PN
