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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Discaya spouses, 3 ex-DPWH officials now under Witness Protection Program -- DOJ

Discaya spouses, 3 ex-DPWH officials now under Witness Protection Program -- DOJ

Published Sep 24, 2025 04:01 pm
Spouses Cezarah “Sarah” and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya and three former officials of the Department Public Work and Highways (DPWH) have been placed under the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Witness Protection Program (WPP).
However, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said the Discayas and the former DPWH officials are not yet state witnesses.
Also under the WPP are DPWH-Bulacan First District’s former district engineer Henry Alcatara, former assistant district engineers Brice Hernandez, and Jaypee Mendoza.
“We will give them the protection needed para magtuloy-tuloy ang revelations (so that there will be more revelations),” Remulla told journalists during a briefing on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Remulla said that after his talk with the Discayas and the former DPWH officials, “we decided to place them under WPP and that is the least we can do right now.”
Being under the WPP and being a state witness are two different matters, he explained.
At the same time, Remulla said that he has sent a letter to inform the Senate that the five persons have been turned into “protected witnesses.”
Remulla also said that he explained to the five “protected witnesses” that their status at the WPP is not yet final and “we have to evaluate who will be given the state witness status.”
Hernandez and Mendoza were at the DOJ on Wednesday, Sept. 24, and provided more information they know on the anomalous government flood control projects.
“Marami pang mga bagay na dumating sa aming kaalaman na hindi pa nilalabas sa mga pagdinig sa Senado (We received more information that have not yet been revealed during the Senate hearings),” Remulla said.
He said the information includes new names of persons who are also involved in the anomalies. Their names were not disclosed, however.
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