Former DPWH Exec Roberto Bernardo narrates meetings with Senator Chiz Escudero.
Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo’s confessions involving Senator Chiz Escudero.
In the recent hearing regarding the kickback mess in anomalous flood control projects, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary Roberto Bernardo named three more senators who allegedly received huge amounts from the government-funded projects.
On Thursday, he named former Senate President Francis Escudero, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and former senators Bong Revilla and Nancy Binay of accepting kickbacks from infrastructure projects as among those who received kickbacks from the infrastructure projects.
He narrated how the dealings were made, and part of his confessions revealed the “meetings” and “dealings” he had with Escudero. Bernardo said he and Escudero were friends with the senator’s campaign donor, Maynard Ngu. His statement was:
“When I gave him the list and in relation to the commitment, I asked him, ‘Boss, paano to?’ Maynard replied, ‘Bahala ka na.’ I asked, ‘Boss, okay na ba ang 20 percent?’ Maynard said okay. After inclusion of the projects in the GAA, I delivered 20 percent of approximately 800 million or about P160 million to Maynard Gnu, which was meant for Senator Escudero.”
It was stated in the supplemental affidavit that they had at least three times in 2022 and in 2023.
In August 2022, he was summoned by the senator, and he narrated:
“When I got there, he told me: ‘I’m not going down to the CA (Commission on Appointments) anymore. I still lack a lot of streetlights in Sorsogon — what can you do for me?’ I replied, ‘I will speak with Secretary Bonoan to see what can be done.’ I relayed to Secretary Bonoan what Senator Chiz told me.”
Later on, he received a list of projects from the brother-in-law of Escudero, and among them was the streetlights project. In 2023, they met again inside a private room of an establishment, and in the same incident, while they were drinking wine, Escudero allegedly expressed that he knew what was happening inside the DPWH and was “fine with it” as long as there was something allocated for him.
It was during the first quarter of 2025 that the PHP 160 million was delivered to Ngu to be given to Escudero. And last July of this year, they had a “chance encounter” at an establishment in Taguig City. Escudero approached him, shook his hand, and said, “Thank you.”
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