Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday criticized government contractor Curlee Discaya for claiming he and his wife felt “robbed” after being asked to return money to the government as a condition for admission to the Department of Justice’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).
Hontiveros said the Discaya couple should stop portraying themselves as victims, stressing that they are implicated in the controversy over billions of pesos worth of contracts for substandard and ghost flood control projects.
“Talagang ilan sa amin halos mahulog sa silya. I mean, hello, sasabihin niya na ninakawan sila? Parang hinold up tayo tapos kailangan pa nating mag-sorry sa holdaper,” she said during a Kapihan sa Senado forum.
She urged Discaya to stop evading questions and instead cooperate fully with the Senate inquiry.
“Kung talagang gusto nilang makipagtulungan sa gobyerno, simula sa Blue Ribbon Committee, at kung talagang gusto nilang matanggap sa Witness Protection Program, dito pa lang sa Senado ay simulan na nilang sagutin nang tapat at kumpleto ang lahat ng aming mga tanong,” Hontiveros added.
The senator emphasized that accountability and transparency are essential if Discaya truly intends to cooperate with the government’s investigation.