Former DPWH Official Alleges Kickbacks Involving Senator Escudero and Businessman Ngu

Former Undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Roberto Bernardo has accused Senator Francis Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu of receiving illicit commissions from infrastructure contracts in Marinduque and Valenzuela City.

During a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Thursday, Bernardo stated that Escudero and Ngu obtained a 20 percent cut from projects valued at hundreds of millions of pesos. He described his longstanding friendship with Ngu, noting that Ngu is also a close associate and campaign supporter of Senator Escudero.

Bernardo revealed that Ngu encouraged him to submit a list of projects, some of which were subsequently incorporated into the General Appropriations Act (GAA). According to his testimony, Senator Escudero demanded ₱160 million in kickbacks from four projects totaling ₱800 million.

"Maynard Ngu and I are close friends and we go years back. He is also a close friend and campaign contributor of Senator Chiz Escudero," Bernardo said. He further explained that the projects included ₱300 million each for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Dr. Damian Reyes Road reconstruction in Boac, Marinduque, and ₱100 million each for Phases 2 and 3 of the Canumay Creek flood control wall in Valenzuela.

The ongoing Blue Ribbon Committee probe aims to uncover widespread corruption in flood control projects, following discoveries of ghost or substandard infrastructure funded through congressional insertions in the national budget. Senator Escudero, a former Senate President, has previously denied receiving any benefits from such budgetary insertions during earlier hearings.