MANILA — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan demanded the submission of the Discaya couple’s alleged payoff ledger, which reportedly lists officials who supposedly received kickbacks from their construction firms.

At the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry into anomalous infrastructure projects, Pangilinan pressed contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya to produce the document supporting their claims.

He directed his remarks at Curlee Discaya, who argued that he could not retrieve the ledger because he is detained in the Senate.

“Mr. Discaya, nakakulong na po kayo. Nabanggit na nga po ni Chairman na baka isama na rin po si Mrs. Discaya. Dahil mukhang nagbibigay ka ng kung anu-anong palusot para ‘di mailabas yung ledger. Yun ang dating sa amin sa komite,” Pangilinan said, after Senate President Vicente Sotto III pointed out that Mrs. Discaya could locate the ledger since she is not detained.

“Sana kung ayaw ninyo makulong pati si Mrs. Discaya, iyon ang paraan. Sumunod na lang at ibalik dito yung ledger,” Pangilinan added when Discaya insisted his wife did not know where the ledger was kept.

The Senate committee then directed the couple, accompanied by the Senate Sergeant at Arms, to find and submit the ledger within the day.

During the hearing, Pangilinan also questioned former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara on how kickbacks are allegedly allocated to lawmakers through allocable and special funds under the National Expenditure Program or the General Appropriations Act.

He sought clarification on how the supposed kickback amounts were computed and how funds were funneled through government projects.

Pangilinan also pushed for the committee to invite Assistant Secretary Joy Manginsay of the DPWH, whom Bernardo identified as the department’s liaison officer to Congress during his tenure.