Youth and reform advocates staged a protest dubbed “Ghost Hunting in Pasig” on Friday, September 5, outside the compound of St. Gerrard Construction in Pasig City, denouncing what they called “ghost projects” and demanding accountability from contractor couple Sarah and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and their alleged network of government connections.
The protest, led by Youth Against Kurakot (YaK!), Akbayan Party, and allied organizations, sought to “exorcise” what they described as the trillion-peso flood control scam that continues to drain public funds.
Demonstrators waved banners, carried placards, and chanted slogans calling for justice and reforms to end what they said was a culture of plunder in government.
“Sobrang dami ng ghost projects na patuloy tayong minumulto. Kaya dapat nating tukuyin at singilin ang mga certified kurakot gaya ng mga Discaya, na hayagang ninanakaw ang kinabukasan ng kabataan,” said Khylla Meneses, Akbayan Youth Secretary General and YaK! Co-Convenor.
Meneses stressed that billions allegedly lost to anomalous flood control projects could have gone to classrooms and education.
Akbayan President Rafaela “Paeng” David echoed the call, saying the Discaya group represents only a fraction of a larger web of corruption.
“The Discaya syndicate is just a symptom of a deeper network of corruption. We must ask: sino ba ang kasabwat dyan? Sino ang kumikita habang naghihirap ang mga Pilipino? All their links to public officials must be exposed, rooted out, and brought to justice,” David said.
David also called on authorities to freeze the assets of the Discayas and allied contractors.
“Hindi sapat na ilagay sa travel bulletin or tanggalin ang accreditation nila. Dapat i-freeze agad ang mga assets ng Discayas at lahat ng sangkot na kontraktor. Ninakaw nila ito mula sa taumbayan at dapat maibalik ito sa kaban ng bayan,” she added.
The groups said the Pasig protest was only the start of sustained actions to press for accountability.
“We will continue to resist this culture of impunity. Filipinos, especially the youth, should not tolerate corruption as normal. Isa itong halimaw na nagpapabulok ng sistema ng ating paggogobyerno, at patuloy tayong titindig hanggang mabigyang liwanag at hustisya ang mga kababalaghang ito,” Meneses said.
Apart from calls for prosecution of contractors and politicians linked to alleged flood control scams, the coalition also pushed for key reforms including the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, the mandatory disclosure of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), and transparency across the budget process.
