Rep. Reynante Arrogancia at center of growing corruption scandal

By Sentinel Times Team A scandal over government flood control projects has expanded, with contractors and a former DPWH engineer implicatin...

By Sentinel Times Team

A scandal over government flood control projects has expanded, with contractors and a former DPWH engineer implicating multiple high-ranking officials; however, Quezon Representative Reynante Arrogancia, who was initially named, maintains his innocence. ( Reynante Arrogancia FB)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Representative Reynante U. Arrogancia of Quezon's 3rd District remains a key figure in a widespread corruption scandal involving government-funded flood control projects. The probe, which has expanded to include new witnesses and allegations against other high-ranking officials, began with direct accusations against Rep. Arrogancia by contractors Sarah and Pacifico "Curlee" Discaya II.

The investigation was ignited by the testimony of the Discayas, who own St. Gerrard Construction. The couple alleged that a systemic "flood control mess" forces them to pay kickbacks of 10 to 25 percent of project values to lawmakers and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).



Representative Arrogancia was one of over a dozen current and former lawmakers the couple named, claiming he was directly involved in the scheme. The Discayas stated they were willing to become state witnesses to expose the full extent of the corruption, but have yet to be granted immunity by the Department of Justice, which requires them to first return any illicit funds.

Following the public testimony, Representative Arrogancia issued a strong denial, calling the accusations baseless. "I vehemently deny and repudiate the allegations hurled against me by the Discayas," he said. The representative's office has stated that he is actively working with his lawyers to address the matter. Arrogancia has also publicly contemplated filing charges against the Discayas for "lying and for trying to besmirch my good reputation."

In a subsequent statement, Arrogancia asserted his commitment to his duties despite the allegations. "Despite these false allegations, our work as the representative of the 3rd District of Quezon continues. Yesterday, the budget deliberations for the Office of the President and its attached agencies for FY 2026 were heard, led by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin."

While the initial focus was on the Discayas' claims, the probe has since expanded. A former DPWH engineer, Brice Ericson Hernandez, has also come forward, implicating Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada in alleged kickback schemes. Both senators have vehemently denied the accusations, with Estrada challenging Hernandez to a lie detector test. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto has also cautioned the public against believing the Discayas' claims without concrete proof, pointing out what he calls contradictions in their testimonies.

The investigation, which has been described as a "receipt-based" inquiry by Senator Panfilo Lacson, is being conducted by both the Senate and a separate "mega panel" in the House of Representatives. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has responded to the scandal by stating that the government will not allocate new funds for flood control projects in the 2026 national budget. The public clamor for accountability and for the prosecution of all individuals involved in the anomaly continues to grow.