Discussions about other national issues that deserve equal attention arose as Filipinos continued to talk about the flood control controversy.
On Thursday, September 25, a Reddit user shared a meme of two kids in a swimming pool, one drowning while another is being helped by an adult.
It was accompanied by another meme showing skeletal remains seated underwater.
The kid being helped by the adult represented the issue of the “flood control ghost projects,” while the adult represented the “Philippines.”
Meanwhile, the drowning kid stood for the “Discaya luxury cars with umbrella” issue.
The skeletal remains seated underwater, on the other hand, represented the unresolved case of the “missing sabungeros.”
“Ganito na lang ba palagi?” the Redditor asked in the “r/Philippines” community.
Before the flood control controversy erupted, contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya made headlines for their collection of luxury and rare imported cars, which were featured in a vlog.
Sarah later admitted to owning nine companies that had secured government contracts. One of the couple’s firms appeared on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s list of top contractors awarded the most flood control projects nationwide.
Sarah and Curlee are now under the Department of Justice’s “protective witness status.” They previously named individuals they claimed were involved in kickback schemes tied to the flood control projects.
The case
Meanwhile, the “missing sabungeros” case refers to the disappearances of cockfight enthusiasts in Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, and Manila from April 2021 to January 2022.
In June 2025, a news outlet released an interview with case suspect and whistleblower Julie Patidongan, prompting authorities to revive the investigation based on his claims.
Patidongan alleged that the sabungeros were kidnapped, killed, and dumped into Taal Lake, with law enforcers suspecting the motive was linked to match-fixing or cheating in online cockfighting (e-sabong) games.
He also claimed that businessman Atong Ang and actress Gretchen Barretto were involved in the case.
Both Ang and Barretto denied the allegations, although Ang confirmed that Patidongan previously worked for him.
As of September 18, the DOJ held the first hearing of the preliminary investigation into the “missing sabungeros” case. Barretto was present, while Ang was represented by his counsel Gabriel Villareal.
The next hearing is scheduled for September 29.
