Malacañang has issued a stern warning that more individuals will be held accountable and potentially jailed in the coming year as the probe into controversial flood control projects intensifies. The statement, released on Friday, December 26, 2025, signals that the administration's anti-corruption drive is far from over.
"New Napoles" Tag and Vast Wealth Exposed
In a significant development, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez revealed that certain groups have begun labeling the controversial contractor couple, Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya and Cezarah Rowena "Sarah" Discaya, as the "new Napoles." This comparison references Janet Napoles, the central figure in the multi-billion peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
Gomez emphasized the scale of the alleged illicit wealth, stating that the unexplained assets of the Discaya couple are "tenfold" larger than the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by Napoles. He also noted pointedly that the couple spent their Christmas holiday in detention.
Investigation Picks Up Pace, More Arrests Expected
Defending the progress of the investigation, Gomez highlighted that the response to the flood control mess has been notably faster than past major probes. "The flood control investigation does not end on Dec. 25. It's only been a little over four months," he stated. He contrasted this with the Napoles probe, which took nearly a year before suspects were incarcerated, confidently predicting "There will surely be more thrown behind bars in the New Year."
Rule of Law Paramount in Protracted Fight
In a separate statement, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro underscored that the Marcos administration's battle against corruption will be a long one. She explained that all relevant investigative bodies, including the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, are diligently gathering concrete evidence to build solid cases.
"Rule of law should always be observed, and mere hearsay evidence is generally inadmissible and has no room to be entertained," Castro asserted. She reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s unambiguous stance: "Managot ang lahat ng dapat managot (All those responsible must be held accountable)," regardless of whether they are relatives, friends, or political allies.
The unified message from Malacañang clear: the New Year will bring renewed legal pressure on those implicated in the infrastructure anomalies, with the Discaya couple at the center of what is shaping up to be one of the administration's most significant corruption cases.
