Former Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero is facing plunder, graft, and indirect bribery complaints filed before the Office of the Ombudsman. The Field Investigation Office of the Ombudsman recommended the filing of charges against the senator on April 16.
Allegations of Kickbacks
The complaint alleges that Escudero 'indirectly received' approximately P306 million and P280 million in kickbacks from various flood control projects. The accusations are based on the testimony of former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who implicated a certain Maynard Ngu as the alleged intermediary and bagman for Escudero.
According to documents, several deliveries of money were made in 2024 and 2025 through Ngu, including a P306-million transaction and two others worth P160 million and P120 million. The projects from which the kickbacks were allegedly sourced are located in Metro Manila, the Visayas, and several provinces in Luzon.
Escudero's Denial
Escudero vehemently denied the allegations. He stated that he did not authorize Maynard Ngu to act on his behalf and that there is no evidence proving he received the said money. The senator argued that the accusations are based solely on the statements of one individual and not on actual evidence. He also pointed out inconsistencies in Bernardo's accounts across different affidavits and hearings.
Escudero urged the Ombudsman not to grant immunity to Bernardo and other involved parties, asserting that Bernardo is the 'most guilty' among those implicated in the case.
The Office of the Ombudsman is expected to decide whether to file the case against the lawmaker before the Sandiganbayan.
