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Graft charges, among others, were filed against Senator Francis Escudero at the Office of the Ombudsman by lawyer Marvin Aceron. This is concerning “systematic financial irregularities and potential malversation amounting to P352,679,063.46,” as alleged by Aceron. Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News

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Graft, technical malversation, other charges filed vs. Escudero with ombudsman

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763109173365viber_image_2025-11-14_11-04-52-942.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Graft charges, among others, were filed against Senator Francis Escudero at the Office of the Ombudsman by lawyer Marvin Aceron. This is concerning “systematic financial irregularities and potential malversation amounting to P352,679,063.46,” as alleged by Aceron. Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News </div>MANILA — A complaint of graft and technical malversation and other raps was filed against Sen. Francis Escudero at the Office of the Ombudsman by private lawyer Marvin Aceron. This is concerning “systematic financial irregularities and potential malversation amounting to P352,679,063.46” during Escudero’s time as Sorsogon governor, as alleged by Aceron.Aceron based this on the 2021 Commission on Audit (COA) Annual Audit Report.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/7/comelec-to-decide-if-p30-m-donation-to-escudero-violates-omnibus-election-code-1107">Comelec to decide if P30-M donation to Escudero violates Omnibus Election Code</a></div>&quot;Ang pinakakahindik-hindik na kaso – nakita ng COA mismo na mayroong dalawang contractor lang ang gumagawa sa Sorsogon, papalit-palit lang sila, sa 40 projects at nagkakahalaga ng mga P128M,” Aceron told reporters prior to filing the complaint on Friday, November 14th.Aceron wants the ombudsman to send a subpoena to the Bids and Awards Committee in Sorsogon so the unnamed contractors A and B in the report could be specified.“Sa COA report, sinabi lang na contractor A and contractor B. Hindi niya sinabi kung sino. Kaya kailangan ko ang poder ng ombudsman para ‘yung ombudsman mismo ang magpadala ng subpoena for Bids and Awards Committee ng Sorsogon at nang malaman niya sino ba ‘yung mga contractor na ‘yun,” Aceron said.Aceron cited the COA report in listing eight supposedly “questionable” transactions:- P125,704,889.93 in physically impossible overlapping infrastructure contracts awarded to the same contractors with the same personnel and equipment;- P15,474,262.65 in national government funds-including P10,000,000.00 in typhoon relief money—left unimplemented for as long as six years; - P8,440,701.12 in janitorial and laundry contracts supported by falsified documents, conflicting notarizations, and fabricated client references; - P1,655,400.00 in TUPAD disbursements with defective signatures, missing authorizations, and improper implementation by Board Members; - P5,654,955.90 in development projects improperly charged to the 20% Development Fund, outside the approved procurement plan; - P195,748,853.86 in unreliable Property, Plant, and Equipment accounts, including ghost assets and demolished structures still carried in the books. Cited in the complaint are allegations of Violation of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), Section 3(e), Technical Malversation (Revised Penal Code, Article 220), Falsification of Public Documents (Revised Penal Code, Article 171), and Frauds Against the Public Treasury (Revised Penal Code, Article 213).According to Aceron, the decision to file the complaint was a personal one, and he has never met Escudero. “It’s my personal fight, but I am not alone. I have at least 370 people with me, and we will do this we will continue doing this until we get some justice… Siya ‘yung senador na maraming anomalya. Eh di kasuhan natin,” Aceron said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/6/escudero-has-no-property-at-alphaland-baguio-mountain-lodges-developer-1301">Escudero has no property at Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges — developer</a></div>Aceron named other officials he would like to file charges against, including senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada.But when asked why Escudero was the subject of the complaint, the lawyer said this is because the former Senate president is the “lowest hanging fruit.”“Kumbaga sa puno ng prutas, ito ‘yung pinakamadaling kunin dahil inamin niya na…. Sabi ko, ‘Sige, iisipin ko nga kung papaano ito magagawa.’ So tiningnan ko ’yung COA findings nung Sorsogon. Nakita ko marami doon,” Aceron told the media.“Marami sila. Gusto ko rin kasuhan sana sila Villanueva. Gusto ko kasuhan si Jinggoy Estrada. Gusto ko kasuhan lahat ‘yan. Pero magaling sila. Wala silang sinasabi,” Aceron added.<div> </div><div>ETHICS COMPLAINT VS ESCUDERO</div>Escudero faces an ethics complaint following Aceron’s filing before the Senate ethics committee due to a contractor’s donation to Escudero’s campaign.The senator previously admitted to receiving a P30 million campaign donation from a government contractor, but said this was “legal, fully declared, and follows long-standing practice.”Aceron lamented how there was no acknowledgement from the part of the Senate upon filing of the ethics complaint.“Pagka-file ko, unang una, wala akong case number. Pangalawa, ni hindi man lang sinabi, ‘Oh, we received a copy of your complaint.’ Walang acknowledgement. Walang description ng proseso. Kumbaga hindi ko alam ‘yung mangyayari… Parang nawawalan ako ng pag-asa,” Aceron said.A group of “concerned citizens” also filed a complaint against Escudero before the Comelec due to what they call the “illegal P30 million donation” for his 2022 campaign.“For months now, the Filipino people have been up in arms over the brazen theft of their taxes through anomalous DPWH projects. Till now, none of the culprits have been jailed. Worse, those who would be deemed ‘most guilty,’  In the din of hearings and flurry of posturing press releases, one crucial detail is being buried – the matter of illegal campaign donations,” they said in a statement.The group also thanked the Commission on Elections for looking into the campaign donation.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/5/escudero-welcomes-comelec-show-cause-on-campaign-donations-1600">Escudero welcomes Comelec show-cause on campaign donations</a></div>“At the same time, through this filing, we serve notice to COMELEC that we are closely monitoring this case and will not tolerate any attempt to whitewash it or proffer escape hatches for it,” the statement with 13 individuals among the undersigned reads.

Charges of graft and technical malversation, among others, were filed against Sen. Francis Escudero at the Office of the Ombudsman by private lawyer Marvin Aceron.

Charges of graft and technical malversation, among others, were filed against Sen. Francis Escudero at the Office of the Ombudsman by private lawyer Marvin Aceron.

Graft, technical malversation, other raps filed vs Escudero with ombudsman

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Graft, technical malversation, other raps filed vs Escudero with ombudsman

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 14, 2025 05:59 PM PHT

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Chiz Escudero

Senate

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Malversation

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