Lawyer Files Ethics Complaint vs. Sen. Chiz Escudero over Contractor’s Campaign Donation Issue
CHIZ ESCUDERO – A complaint before the Senate ethics committee was filed against the Senator over the P30-million campaign donation from a contractor.
Amid the flood control issue in the Philippines, the Senate had a change of leadership. Sen. Escudero was ousted and replaced by now-Senate Pres. Tito Sotto. His removal from the position came after he admitted to receiving a P30-million campaign donation from a contractor flagged by Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
Sen. Escudero claimed that he and the contractor tied to the Centerways Construction and Development Inc. are friends for several years already. He also stressed that the contractor is also from Sorsogon like him.
Amid the flood control issue investigations, it was revealed that the said contractor is Lawrence Lubiano, the president of the Centerways Construction. He was invited by the House of Representatives as well as the Senate during the previous flood probe.
According to the contractor linked to Sen. Chiz Escudero, he used his own money in his P30-million campaign donation to the then-senatorial candidate. He also revealed that his brothers are mayor and councilor in Sorsogon.
Amid the issue, a complaint was recently filed against Sen. Chiz Escudero before the Senate Committee on Ethics. Based on a report on GMA News, a lawyer-complainant made the filing and claimed that the campaign donation allegedly jeopardized the Senate’s integrity as an institution.
The complaint was confirmed by Sen. JV Ejercito who is the current chairman of the ethics committee. However, according to Ejercito, he just assumed the post and still have to talk to the members of the committee about the matter.
Aside from the campaign donation issue, Sen. Chiz Escudero is also accused of allegedly receiving a P160-million kickback from the flood control project. The accusation was made by Roberto Bernardo, a former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), when he was invited during a Senate flood probe.