Actress and television host Maine Mendoza has spoken out in defense of her husband, Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde, after his name was included in the Discaya couple’s explosive testimony on alleged kickbacks in government flood control projects.
“Teka lang muna, those are baseless allegations. Please refrain from throwing hate and personal attacks at him, including me and our family until facts come out. I am with my husband in this. Wala siyang ginagawang masama sa loob. He has been doing his best to serve the people of his district in Quezon City since the beginning,” Mendoza said in a heartfelt message posted online.
She added: “I sincerely hope and pray that the people who are TRULY responsible will be held accountable and that innocent individuals be spared from this mess. Napaka unfair.”
The allegations
Pacifico “Curlee” II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, long referred to as the “flood control king and queen,” are at the center of a controversy after claiming that lawmakers and DPWH officials demanded 10–25% cuts from contracts their firms had won. The couple alleged these amounts were handed over in cash and recorded in ledgers, supposedly as the price for ensuring projects would proceed without delay.
The Discayas’ firms have secured at least ₱25.2 billion worth of contracts in 345 projects, sparking Senate investigations into possible “ghost” projects and anomalous bidding. Their companies also lost their licenses following a ruling by the Contractors Accreditation Board, though one firm still landed a ₱149.5-million project in Cebu last year.
Arjo Atayde’s response
Atayde earlier denied any involvement. “I categorically deny the allegation that I benefited from any contractor. I have never dealt with them. Hindi totoo ang mga [akusasyon] na ito. I have never used my position for personal gain, and I never will,” he said in a statement.
Growing backlash and calls for accountability
The Discaya revelations have triggered public anger. Protesters defaced their Pasig compound with graffiti calling them “corrupt” and “thief,” while activists slammed the ₱308 billion budget allotted this year for flood control as a source of systemic corruption. Malacañang and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee have both vowed to pursue the truth.
