Actress-host Maine Mendoza publicly defended her husband, Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde, after his name surfaced in the affidavit of contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya, who accused several lawmakers of benefiting from alleged flood control kickbacks.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Maine appealed to the public to avoid hasty judgment and personal attacks while the matter is still under investigation.
“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,” she wrote.
Maine also highlighted her husband’s work as a public servant and stressed that those truly responsible should be held accountable.
“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,” she added.
Arjo, in his own Instagram post, denied receiving any kickbacks, saying he has “never used \[his] position for personal gain, and never will.”
He added that he is consulting legal counsel to clear his name and pursue action against those spreading what he described as falsehoods.
The Discaya couple earlier testified before the Senate, naming lawmakers they claimed were involved in anomalous transactions.
The controversy unfolded alongside leadership changes in the Senate, with former Senate President Tito Sotto III reassuming the role after the ouster of Sen. Chiz Escudero.
