Former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero Calls Flood Control Accusations as “Malicious Allegations and Innuendos”
CHIZ ESCUDERO – The former Senate President reacted to the flood control corruption against him by a former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo.
Amid the ongoing investigations on the flood control issue in the Philippines, the list of the government officials who are accused of allegedly receiving kickback from the flood control projects continues to lengthen. With the appearance of former DPWH USec. Roberto Bernardo in the Senate flood probe this morning, new names were added to the list.
Bernardo claimed that former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero allegedly received a P160 million kickback from the flood control project. He also made the same accusation against former Sen. Nancy Binay and Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co. Several contractors also pinned down Co in their statements.
Escudero was the Senate president when the flood control issue broke out. Following his admission that he received a P30-million campaign donation from one of the contractors flagged by Pres. Bongbong Marcos, the upper chamber had a change of leadership. Escudero was ousted and replaced by now-Senate Pres. Tito Sotto. The former SP is now part of the Minority bloc.
Aside from the Senate, the House of Representatives also had a change in leadership amid the flood control issue. Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez resigned from his position after he was accused by controversial contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya of allegedly receiving flood control kickbacks.
Following the claim of former DPWH USec. Roberto Bernardo, former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero stressed Bernardo’s claim that he never had a direct transaction with him over the matter. According to him, he will sue the former DPWH Undersecretary over his claim which Escudero called as “malicious allegations and innuendos”.
“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 Senator said based on a report on GMA News.
Former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero also reportedly raised concerns over the “well-orchestrated plan” that allegedly target the Senate and its members supposedly meant to destroy the chamber’s image and divert the attention of the public. Based on the report, he also asked why Bernardo has never mentioned Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co and presidential cousin and Leyte Cong. Martin Romualdez.
“Puro talaga senador ang tinuturo?! Nasaan si Zaldy Co? Nasaan na si Rep. Martin Romualdez sa lahat ng ito?! Nasaan ang mga kasabwat nya?! Kung babasehan natin ang testimonya ni Usec. Bernardo, wala sila lahat kasalanan o kinalaman dito. ‘Di naman ata ito kapani-paniwala,” he said.
Previously, the contractor linked to former Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero spoke about his P30-million donation for his campaign.