Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Discaya Sotto

Rowegie Abanto

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/1756779616741cropped-541002358_1314907097341310_1084454560665272456_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Several DPWH contractors, including contractor Sarah Discaya, were present during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. Voltaire Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto on Tuesday questioned the testimony of businesswoman and contractor Sarah Discaya, who for the first time attended Monday&#x27;s Senate hearing into the flood control controversy.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/1/yumaman-sa-dpwh-discaya-says-viral-video-spliced-1059">Yumaman sa DPWH? Discaya says viral video &#x27;spliced&#x27;</a></div><p>In a Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1345473733613628&amp;set=a.412430696917941">post</a>, Sotto accused Discaya — his former rival in the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/7/owner-of-st-gerrard-corp-formalizes-bid-for-pasig-city-mayor-1651">2025 mayoral race</a> —  of not being completely honest and pointed out supposed inconsistencies in her answers when she faced grilling by senators on Monday.</p><p>&quot;I hope all relevant authorities act quickly, before they get away. We will continue to do our part,&quot; Sotto also said.</p><p>&quot;Hindi tayo papayag na basta na lang tatahimik at mawawala ang isyu pagkatapos ng ilang buwan; kailangan may managot. Contractors, Politicians, and DPWH and other government employees. Kung hindi, paulit-ulit lang &#x27;to mangyayari sa bayan natin.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/search-warrant-served-for-discaya-luxury-cars-0925">Customs searches Discaya firm for luxury cars</a></div><p>Discaya, during the second hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/1/sara-discaya-confirms-owning-28-luxury-cars-denies-ghost-projects-1447">confirmed owning 28 luxury cars</a> and denied having &quot;ghost&quot; projects. </p><p>She confirmed owning 9 construction companies and said her family started bidding under the DPWH &quot;sometime in 2012&quot; and secured flood control projects around &quot;2016 onwards.&quot;</p><p>The panel subpoenaed Discaya and other contractors after they were flagged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as among those who cornered P100 billion or 20 percent of the entire P545-billion budget for flood control projects.</p><p>Discaya was a Pasig mayoral candidate in the 2025 May elections and is among the owners of St. Gerrard and other construction companies.</p><p>Discaya said her father was also a contractor for local government projects. Before venturing into construction, she said she had worked overseas as a dental receptionist and orthodontic nurse. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/1/watch-sarah-discaya-reveals-prices-of-luxury-cars-2256">WATCH: Sarah Discaya reveals prices of luxury cars</a></div><p>Sotto hopes that the panel will also invite Sarah&#x27;s husband, Curlee Discaya, whom the Pasig mayor alleged as &quot;DPWH Project Mistermind.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LINGERING QUESTIONS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>He also hopes that the senators will ask both the government contractors and Department of Public Works and Highways officials: &quot;Totoo ba na naga-ADVANCE ang ibang contractor ng hanggang 40 percent ng project cost sa mga congressman/politiko? Or, whatever the rate may be, is it true that there is an &#x27;SOP&#x27; or kickback for DPWH projects? Ano ang hatian?&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/1/dealer-of-discaya-s-cars-tagged-in-smuggling-of-2-bugattis-1250">Dealer of Discaya&#x27;s cars tagged in smuggling of 2 Bugattis</a></div><p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, questioned how the Discaya firms secured many government projects if they had no backers within the DPWH.</p><p>Discaya admitted to knowing people from the DPWH, including district engineers for Bulacan and Laguna, but denied that they gave her projects.</p><p>&quot;Gusto ko sanang itanong… hindi siguro sa DPWH, baka dapat tanungin doon sa ika nga &#x27;yung mga kontak nila sa lehislatura,&quot; he told ANC.</p><p>When asked if it was illegal for the 9 Discaya firms to bid against each other for a single contract, Tulfo said, &quot;Yes.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Pagdating sa bidding iisa lang ang may-ari, sinasadya talaga &#x27;yon,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/28/-bidding-biddingan-leviste-says-ex-batangas-solon-selected-winning-bidders-for-dpwh-projects-1519">‘Bidding-biddingan: Leviste says ex-Batangas solon ‘selected’ winning bidders for DPWH projects</a></div><div><strong>— With reports from RG Cruz and Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CtSFQJ7s8JQ?&amp;t=41s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QxvMJ3zAvDw?&amp;t=2s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto pointed out supposed inconsistencies in Sarah Discaya's answers when she faced grilling by senators on Monday.</p>

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto pointed out supposed inconsistencies in Sarah Discaya's answers when she faced grilling by senators on Monday.

Vico Sotto doubts Discaya's Senate testimony, urges gov't to 'act quickly before they get away'

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Vico Sotto doubts Discaya's Senate testimony, urges gov't to 'act quickly before they get away'

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 02, 2025 10:34 AM PHT

Read More:

Sarah Discaya

Vico Sotto

flood control

DPWH

politics

corruption

Discaya

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