Ombudsman: Returning ill-gotten wealth is accountability

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January 21, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The remark of embattled contractor Curlee Discaya – who said he felt “robbed” when asked to return money before applying for the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) – did not sit well with the Office of the Ombudsman, which said it is the nation that was robbed, not only of money, but of their safety due to the effects of floods.

In a statement, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said it is wrong to say that returning money to the public is robbery because it is accountability.

“When the money for flood control projects were stolen, it was not only funds that were lost, but also the safety of the Filipino people,” Clavano said.

“It is the Filipino people that were robbed. Returning the stolen money to the government is not extortion, it is accountability,” he added.

Discaya is linked to anomalous flood control projects and is currently detained in the Senate.

In an interview at the Sandiganbayan, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon called Discaya “shameless” for saying that it was he who was robbed because he was being asked to return ill-gotten wealth.

“Curlee Discaya is shameless. There is clear evidence against them, yet he has the audacity to say that they are the ones who are being robbed,” Dizon told reporters in Filipino.

“It is only right to return the money they stole. They should just face the charges against them since Discaya’s wife, Sarah, is already in jail. They should face the charges then return the money of the Filipino people,” he added.

Discaya made the remark during the resumption of the inquiry of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee in relation to anomalous flood-control projects.

He said when they first applied for the WPP, there was no mention of restitution, but it was only discussed during subsequent meetings.

“I can’t say how much, but for me, it’s like we’re the ones who got robbed. Meaning, it’s like a modern day robbery, which means, the robber is the one giving money to those whom they robbed from? It’s like that,” Discaya said in Filipino

Department of Justice Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon refuted Discaya’s claims, saying they were immediately informed that restitution was one of the requirements to be admitted to the WPP.

Discaya’s wife, Sarah, is imprisoned at the Lapu-Lapu City jail in Cebu.