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Sandiganbayan asked to issue precautionary hold departure order for Escudero, Ngu
The Office of the Ombudsman has asked the Sandiganbayan on Saturday to issue a precautionary hold departure order against Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu.
Escudero and Ngu are being probed for alleged plunder, graft, and indirect bribery over the flood control scandal.
JUST IN: Office of the Ombudsman seeks a precautionary Hold Departure Order on Senator Francis Escudero and Maynard Ngu who are facing probe for alleged plunder, graft, and indirect bribery over flood control mess @gmanews pic.twitter.com/kJxm0WmSCZ
— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) April 25, 2026
The request was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan's Sixth Division on Saturday afternoon.
Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo has said he funneled through Ngu 20% or P160 million of about P800 million of inserted projects for Valenzuela in the General Appropriations Act. The P160 million, Bernardo said, was "meant for Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero."
Bernardo described Ngu as his "close friend," and that he personally delivered cash to the latter's office in Manila.
In his affidavit, Bernardo said Ngu is also a "close friend" and campaign contributor to Escudero.
Ngu however, denied the allegation that he was involved in flood control kickbacks.
“I absolutely denied all the allegations made by Usec. Bernardo. That’s the reason why I already filed the case against Usec. on defamatory insinuations. For this, I invoke the sub judice rule because it’s pending already with appropriate courts,” Ngu said during a hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee last January.
Escudero also refuted allegations that he was involved in anomalous flood control projects, as alleged by Bernardo.
In a statement, Escudero said that he would sue Bernardo for what he described as "malicious allegations and innuendos" made against him.
"By his own admission, he never had any contact with me directly regarding this matter—and I will prove that he is lying about my alleged involvement," the former Senate president said. —KG, GMA News
