By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday ordered former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral to appear before its inquiry into alleged budget insertions, despite her recent resignation from government service.
Committee chair and Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson announced the issuance of the subpoena after Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon disclosed that he had accepted Cabral’s courtesy resignation on Sept. 14.
Dizon said Cabral had informed the committee that she would not be attending the hearing following her resignation.
“Even if she is now just a private citizen and no longer part of the DPWH, if the committee will require her to attend, she still must attend. But now, no longer as an official of the DPWH, but as a private citizen,” Dizon told senators.
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, however, stressed that Cabral’s resignation does not exempt her from accountability.
“There are personal questions that we need to ask her. More particularly, Mr. Chair, your own exposé. I still recall in your last privilege speech, her text message to Senator Sotto is very damning. Kahit na mag-resign po siya, it will not matter to us,” he said.
Lacson agreed and placed the matter to a vote.
“If there is a motion to issue a subpoena and or subpoena duces tecum, then we’ll put it into a vote,” Lacson said.
“Mr. Chair, I move that former Usec. Cabral is still invited to appear before this committee,” Marcoleta said.
“Invited or issued a subpoena?” Lacson asked.
“Issue a subpoena. Better, Mr. Chair,” Marcoleta replied.
With Sen. Erwin Tulfo seconding the motion, Lacson declared, “Properly seconded. So ordered.”
Dizon assured the panel that the DPWH leadership would continue its internal investigation.
“While former undersecretary Cabral is no longer with the DPWH, this does not in any way stop us from continuing our internal investigations on who should be liable for the clear crimes committed against our people,” he said.
Cabral came under scrutiny after Lacson alleged that she called the staff of Senate President Vicente Sotto III shortly after the May 2025 elections to ask what they wanted to insert in the proposed 2026 national budget.
Lacson said the bigger concern is whether other lawmakers were also approached.
Contempt orders
The panel also cited Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya in contempt for giving inconsistent statements on the absence of his wife, Cezarah Rowena “Sarah,” at the ongoing inquiry.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo moved to hold Discaya in contempt after noting contradictions between his testimony and the letter submitted by his wife to the committee.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo seconded the motion, which was approved by Lacson.
During the hearing, Discaya initially claimed that his wife was unable to attend due to a heart condition.
However, the letter she sent to the panel cited a conflicting reason—a previously scheduled meeting with her employees.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada pressed Discaya for the “valid reason” behind his wife’s absence, while Sotto first raised the question of why she was absent.
Lacson then read Sarah Discaya’s letter, which emphasized her regret at missing the hearing because of a work commitment.
This further contradicted Curlee Discaya’s claim that health issues prevented her attendance.
“Very inconsistent ang pinagsasabi nito. Mag-asawa sila at imposibleng hindi sila nag-uusap sa health condition ng misis niya. Pinagloloko tayo ng mga ‘to,” Sen. Raffy Tulfo said.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo also remarked that the couple’s differing excuses only highlighted their lack of coordination.
“Sana nag-usap muna kayo,” he said.
With the committee’s decision, Curlee Discaya will remain cited in contempt while his wife faces a show-cause order to explain her absence.
Former DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara was also cited in contempt for denying knowledge of ghost projects in his jurisdiction despite evidence presented at the hearing.
Lacson said Alcantara’s statements ran contrary to records and testimonies that linked him to questionable flood control projects flagged in the inquiry.
“The committee cannot accept these denials in the face of contrary documents,” Lacson said.
The Senate is investigating alleged irregularities in flood control projects worth billions of pesos, including so-called “ghost” works, substandard infrastructure, and questionable bidding processes.
The inquiry has placed contractors and DPWH personnel under scrutiny following reports of widespread corruption in allocations from 2022 to 2024.
