Ghost Project, Real Charges: DPWH Wants Curlee Discaya Jailed Over P96.5-Million Flood Control Scam
The walls are closing in on controversial contractor Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through Secretary Vince Dizon, has formally asked the Office of the Ombudsman to include Discaya in the criminal complaints over an alleged P96.5-million ghost flood control project in Davao Occidental — a project that prosecutors say existed only on paper. If the motion is granted, Discaya could face graft and malversation charges and, ultimately, detention.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano confirmed on February 16 that affidavits gathered by investigators point to Curlee as the possible "beneficial owner" of St. Timothy Construction Corporation — the firm awarded the flood control contract in Barangay Culaman. Hindi lumalabas ang pangalan niya sa corporate documents, pero the Ombudsman says evidence suggests he was the one calling the shots behind the scenes. Beneficial ownership, Clavano explained, refers to a person who exercises control or gives instructions within a company even without appearing on official records.
The original case was filed on December 5, 2025, and already has several respondents: Curlee's wife Sarah Discaya, who has been detained in Lapu-Lapu City after her arrest; DPWH Davao Occidental District Engineer Rodrigo Larete; Assistant District Engineer Michael Awa; several DPWH section chiefs, project engineers, and inspectors; and Ma. Roma Angeline Rimando of St. Timothy Construction. Records show the contract was awarded on January 22, 2022, but investigators found zero construction activity on the ground — despite the DPWH district office certifying the project as "completed" to release the payment.
Curlee's current situation is unusual: unlike his wife who is in a prison facility, he remains under the custody of the Philippine Senate, where he has been held since the blue ribbon committee's investigation into the DPWH corruption scandal. His inclusion in the criminal case is not automatic — Clavano stressed that due process requires giving Discaya the opportunity to respond to the allegations before he can be formally added to the charge sheet. Still, the DPWH's move to implead him signals a clear escalation of the government's pursuit of accountability in the infrastructure corruption scandal.
The Discaya case is part of a broader DPWH corruption cleanup that has rocked the Marcos administration and dented public confidence in government infrastructure spending. Multiple ghost projects across several provinces have been uncovered, leading to charges against contractors and public officials alike. For Curlee Discaya, the noose is tightening — and the question now is not whether he will face charges, pero kung kailan. Source: Rappler, ABS-CBN News, GMA News Online, PhilNews.ph
