Eleven of the 19 lawmakers named by flood project contractor Curlee Discaya in a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing over alleged bribes have denied the accusations, with several vowing legal action in retaliation.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose name was reportedly invoked by other officials, dismissed the claims as “false, malicious and nothing more than name-dropping.” He stressed that Congress approves budgets but does not release funds or implement projects. “I have never – and I will never – accept a bribe from anybody,” Romualdez said.
Among those denying involvement were Reps. Zaldy Co, Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Patrick Michael Vargas, Marcy Teodoro, Roman Romulo, Arjo Atayde, Leody Tarriela, Marivic Co-Pilar, Reynante Arrogancia, and former San Jose del Monte City congresswoman Florida Robes. Many indicated they are considering filing charges against the Discayas for defamation.
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto also cautioned that the Discayas could be lying. Meanwhile, eight other lawmakers named in the testimony—Jojo Ang, Nicanor Briones, Benjamin Agarao, Florencio Noel, Marvin Rillo, Teodoro Haresco, Dean Asistio, and Antonieta Eudela—have yet to issue statements.
Several lawmakers, including Madrona and Vargas, emphasized that there had been no Discaya projects in their districts, calling the allegations “baseless” and “politically motivated.” Others, like Teodoro, Romulo, and Atayde, said they had never engaged with the contractor or used their positions for personal gain. Marivic Co-Pilar and Robes defended their reputations in House speeches, with Robes pledging to file a libel case.
Romualdez criticized the Senate hearing, saying it relied on “unfounded claims” from contractors already under investigation for ghost projects. To ease tensions, he and other House officials sought the “understanding” of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin regarding deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget.
“If our deliberations have caused any discomfort, we ask for understanding. The House’s duty is not to cast blame but to ensure that every peso in the budget is transparent, accountable, and truly for the people,” Romualdez said.