Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and Sarah Discaya will not push through with their application as state witnesses, the couple’s lawyer, Atty. Cornelio Samaniego III said.
"Nag-offer po ang Congress, lower House kahapon. Pero tinanong po niya ako bago sa sumagot. Sa tingin ko kasi hindi pa kinakailangan," Samaniego said in an exclusive interview at DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan on Wednesday, September 10.
During the interview, Samaniego clarified that the affidavit submitted by Curlee to the House of Representatives is the same one used at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing. The document was personally written by the latter, citing the couple’s application to be state witnesses.
This comes after RH Milky Rigonan reported that the Discaya couple is not qualified to be state witnesses, and as announced by the House Infra Committee co-chair and Bicol Saro Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon.
The lawmaker stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has strict conditions for qualifying state witnesses.
"Ngayon, ginagalang po natin ang pahayag ng ating mabuting Congressman Ridon kung ang kliyente po namin ay hindi po pasok sa qualifications bilang maging isang state witness. Ginagalang po natin yan," Samaniego said in response.
The Affidavit
According to Samaniego, the affidavit was based on the exposé written by Curlee, citing the 15 contractors involved in the anomalies in the flood control projects. The data presented was taken from July 2022 to this year, presenting the projects they acquired and the information they have concerning them.
"Sabi ko, may magtatanong sa iyo diyan kung ito lang ba talaga. Sabi niya sa akin kahapon, 'Ito lang talaga, Atty.' Sabi niya, mahirap naman na magdamay tayo ng iba kung wala naman talagang kinalaman," he said.
Despite this, Samaniego assured that the couple would still attend the succeeding House Infra Committee and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.
"Makakaasa po ang publiko, ang ating taumbayan, na nandyan po sila sa anumang pandinig sa Senado man o sa House of Representatives o sa binubuong fact-finding committee ng ating mahal na Pangulo [Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.]," he said. "Kagaya ng parati kong sinasabi, wala namang po talaga silang itinatago. Kasi nandyan sila parati sa mga pagdinig.”
Amid the controversies surrounding the Discaya couple, Samaniego also had his own share of criticism from the public. When asked about the challenges of being a lawyer for public-facing clients, Samaniego responded, stating he laughs it off.
"Sanay na tayo dyan, kaya tinatawanan ko lang 'yung mga bashers ko. Hello mga bashers!" he expressed.
