Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has confirmed that he met with government contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya before the May 2025 midterm elections, but stressed that it was a one-time meeting that lasted less than 20 minutes and carried no political or financial commitments.

The photo of Lacson with the Discayas, which recently circulated online, was posted by Cavite Rep. Kiko Barzaga, who urged an investigation into the senator’s supposed links with the couple.

The Discayas are currently being investigated by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which Lacson chairs, for their alleged involvement in flood control project anomalies.

"I did not know the Discayas and that was the first and only time outside of the committee hearings that I met them. The meeting lasted around 15–20 minutes, and the photo was taken before it ended," he clarified.

According to Lacson, the meeting took place in April 2025, just before the official campaign period ended. The Discaya couple’s son — then a nominee of the Ako Pinoy Party-list — was brought to Lacson’s Taguig office by Davao-based supporter Fred Villaroman, son of the late PBGen. Francisco Villaroman, who once served as security chief of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The younger Discaya invited Lacson to attend a campaign rally in Davao. However, the senator declined, citing political courtesy.

"I begged off - first, out of respect for my friend SP Tito Sotto whose nephew, Mayor Vico Sotto was running against Mrs Discaya for the mayorship of Pasig City, and second, there were other party-list groups who were including my name in their sample ballots and I thought it was not a smart political decision to join a rally of any party-list group," Lacson explained.

He emphasized that the Discaya couple later joined the meeting briefly, but no donations or agreements were made.

Lacson said this was the first and only time he met the Discayas outside of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.

He added that the circulation of the photo was a "clear attempt to malign" his integrity as chair of the Senate inquiry.

"The fact that it is being circulated only means that it intended to besmirch my reputation and credibility in chairing the Blue Ribbon Committee," Lacson said in a statement.

The controversy erupted after Rep. Barzaga posted the photo with the caption: "CTTO, please investigate the validity of this image of Senator Lacson’s private meeting with the Discayas."

Barzaga later said Lacson and Cavite Rep. Roy Loyola should also be investigated for supposed connections to the Discayas and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) flood control anomalies.

“Senator Ping Lacson and Congressman Roy Loyola must be investigated on their connections to the Discayas and DPWH Flood Control Anomalies,” Bargaza said in a separate post.

Lacson dismissed the insinuations, reiterating that no campaign donations or favors were exchanged.