Jamaine Punzalan

Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya II attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175999324329420250918-senate-flood-control-st-gerrard-curlee-discaya-JC0704.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Pacifico ‘Curlee’ Discaya II attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Bureau of Internal Revenue said Thursday the filing of tax evasion cases would not stop with controversial government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya.</p><p>BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said the agency would go after other government contractors and public officials involved in anomalous flood control projects as its tax audit continued.</p><p>These include those who are implicated in ghost projects during congressional hearings and in information from the Department of Public Works and Highways and Commission on Audit.</p><p>“Hindi lang ito limitado sa mga Discaya sa mga nagtatanong. Sinisigurado rin ng BIR na lahat ng contractors at public officials na sangkot sa mga iregularidad sa mga flood control projects ay haharap din sa kasong may kaugnayan sa tax evasion,” he said in an interview with state-run media PTV. </p><p>“Ang prinsipyo natin dito ay malinaw: kung kumikita mula sa proyekto ng gobyerno ay dapat magbayad ng tamang buwis. Hangga’t may ebidensya maghahain tayo ng karagdagang tax charges gaya nitong sa mga Discaya. Pasimula pa lang ito,” he added.  </p><p>Lumagui declined to disclose the number of individuals who were under investigation. But he said the list was not limited to the top 15 flood control contractors earlier divulged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>The BIR filed <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/8/discaya-couple-aide-face-p7-1-billion-tax-charges-1030">criminal tax complaints</a> against the Discayas before the Department of Justice on Wednesday for tax liabilities worth P7.1 billion.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/4/discayas-visit-doj-for-submission-of-more-evidence-in-flood-control-mess-2038">Discayas visit DOJ for submission of more evidence in flood control mess</a></div><p>Those who are subjected to the audit will not be allowed to “correct” their tax deficiencies, according to Lumagui.</p><p>“Nag-issue na tayo ng audit kaya naman hindi na nila ‘yan mako-correct. Bayaran nila pagka depende na sa magiging resulta ng ating audit procedures,” he added.</p><p>The BIR also underscored the vital role of the Anti-Money Laundering Council in its ongoing tax audit such as giving access to bank transactions of companies and individuals under investigation.   </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/8/ici-seeks-ilbo-vs-escudero-romualdez-other-officials-tagged-in-flood-control-mess-1243">DOJ OKs lookout order vs Escudero, Romualdez, others tagged in flood control mess</a></div><p>“Kung ang nakatalang yaman sa bank records ay walang kaukulang buwis na nabayaran, malinaw na mayroong kaso ng tax evasion,” Lumagui said.</p><p>“Masisiguro natin na walang undeclared wealth or income ang joint investigation na ito ay magsisilbing matibay na basehan para sa pare-parehang kaso ng tax evasion at money laundering,” he stated. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qe2xU_oj_ug?si=_zMEBQNvUGE_nGv1" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Bureau of Internal Revenue said the filing of tax evasion cases would not stop with controversial government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya.</p>

The Bureau of Internal Revenue said the filing of tax evasion cases would not stop with controversial government contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya.

‘Walang ligtas’: BIR says to go after other contractors, public officials involved in flood control fiasco

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‘Walang ligtas’: BIR says to go after other contractors, public officials involved in flood control fiasco

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 09, 2025 03:03 PM PHT

Read More:

BIR

Romeo Lumagui

flood control

tax evasion

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