Julia Christine Botin

Article (news)

RG Cruz

Ched Rick Gatchalian

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — Two new witnesses &quot;Joy&quot; and &quot;Maria&quot; told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that flood control scandal contractor Curlee Discaya told them that a house in South Forbes Park was purchased by a company allegedly linked to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.The two women faced the committee with their identities and faces shielded for security reasons.They pointed to Discaya, who was also present in the hearing, as the person allegedly who told them Romualdez bought the house formerly rented by their boss, businessman socialite Rico Ocampo.The women told the panel that they recognized Discaya after he surfaced publicly during the flood control scandal investigations.This was after the house was supposedly purchased, and Ocampo was made to vacate to make way for the new owner.Unable to comply with the deadline to vacate, the women had suggested that they request the new owner for an extension, which was when Discaya supposedly told them who is the new owner.Discaya wanted the two women to be unmasked but the Senate rejected his bid.He could only deny the allegation, saying he&#x27;s never been to that exclusive enclave of the rich and powerful.Lacson said that Romualdez&#x27;s name does not appear in the dead of sale, as it was in the name of Golden Peasant Holding Corporation, according to one of the unnamed witnesses.The witness also named the law firm allegedly involved.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/19/-no-sensitive-files-burned-in-dpwh-car-fire-probe-on-cause-still-underway-bernabe-1610">No sensitive files burned in DPWH CAR fire; probe on cause still underway: Bernabe</a></div><div>GOLDEN PEASANT&#x27;S STOCKHOLDER CONNECTED TO FIRMS LINKED TO ROMUALDEZ?</div>Lacson later revealed that Golden Peasant Holdings Corporation&#x27;s major stockholder used to sit in the board of two corporations linked to the former House Speaker.&quot;Based on documents, &#x27;yung bahay naimbenta sa isang corporation. Golden Peasant Holdings Corporation. Incidentally, the major stockholder, also used to sit in the board of two corporations associated with former Speaker. Ito &#x27;yung Benguet Corporation, mining ata ito. &#x27;Yung isa &#x27;yung may joint venture sa ABS-CBN,&quot; he explained. &quot;Saka treasurer siya doon sa media company owned by Romualdez.&quot;But Lacson clarified, the allegations are not enough to implicate Romualdez.He said the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Ombudsman can use the information instead as a &quot;lead&quot; they can follow through.&quot;We&#x27;re not trying to implicate the former Speaker, hindi tayo ang nagtatarget dito. Dumating lang sa ating atensyon na we cannot disregard.&quot;Discaya denied the accusation and maintained he never went to the said park to talk to Joy and Maria.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/19/dpwh-usec-flood-control-projects-inspection-must-start-over-due-to-wrong-coordinates-1448">Inspection of flood control projects must start over due to wrong coordinates—DPWH usec</a></div><div>WITNESSES&#x27; CLAIM VS. ROMUALDEZ &#x27;LOGICALLY, PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE&#x27;</div>Romualdez&#x27;s lawyer Atty. Ade Fajardo issued a statement saying the allegations against the former speaker are &quot;logically and physically impossible&quot;.Fajardo argued that Discaya testified under oath that he has never went to South Forbes Park.He added that Romualdez&#x27;s name is also nowhere to be found in any contract or payment record related to the property.&quot;The allegations aired in the Senate are logically and physically impossible: Curlee Discaya testified under oath that he has never entered South Forbes Park, making it impossible for him to have approached anyone there or issued any instruction,&quot; Fajardo said.&quot;The claims come solely from the staff of an evicted tenant, unsupported by any document, while Martin Romualdez’s name appears in no deed, contract, or payment record related to the property,&quot; Romualdez&#x27;s lawyer continued.Fajardo said there is no evidence proving the Joy or Maria&#x27;s claims.

Two new witnesses "Joy" and "Maria" told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that flood control scandal contractor Curlee Discaya told them that a house in South Forbes Park was purchased by a company allegedly linked to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Two new witnesses "Joy" and "Maria" told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that flood control scandal contractor Curlee Discaya told them that a house in South Forbes Park was purchased by a company allegedly linked to former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

'Joy', 'Maria' link Curlee Discaya to company allegedly owned by Martin Romualdez

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'Joy', 'Maria' link Curlee Discaya to company allegedly owned by Martin Romualdez

RG Cruz,

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 19, 2026 05:32 PM PHT

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Updated January 19, 2026 10:14 PM PHT

Read More:

Joy

Maria

Witnesses

Flood control

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee

Curlee Discaya

Martin Romualdez

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