Here’s a video of Chiz Escudero talking about the lavish wedding.
How could Chiz Escudero, the “poorest senator” in 2015, afford a Balesin wedding in the same year? This old video surfaced.
In 2015, Senator Cynthia Villar was the richest senator in the country, based on her 2015 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) with a net worth of PHP 3,500,565,480. On the other end is the poorest in the Senate – Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero with a net worth of PHP 5,847,082.09. This was slightly lower than his P6,049,082.09 net worth in 2014.?
In the same year, he and Heart Evangelista got married. Reportedly, their PHP 10 million wedding was held in Balesin, and people questioned how the poorest senator of the country was able to afford this.
A wedding in Balesin could cost millions, and amid the doubts, there was an interview with him answering this. According to him, the wedding was mostly sponsored. He revealed that Balesin sponsored the wedding, and the exclusive beach club is owned by Bobby Ongpin, among the personalities involved in highly controversial issues.
Karen Davila asked whether, considering the cases Ongpin had faced, it wouldn’t pose a conflict of interest. Escudero explained that based on his perspective, there would only be a conflict of interest if the sponsor uses his title and position to help, which, for him, has never happened.
“Ang conflict of interest papasok lamang pag ginamit mo ang pangalan at pwesto mo para tulungan siya. Wala akong ginagwang ganun at kailan man di ko ginawa yun…” he said.
In the comments section of the post, as the video has resurfaced, many people online lamented how he did not find it unethical to have a lavish wedding, to have people with questionable sources of funds and pending cases like Ongpin sponsor his wedding, and to commodify his wedding reception.
In the same interview, he revealed that even their reception in Manila and wedding rings were sponsored. Balesin has sponsored their wedding proper.
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