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Senate President Francis Escudero answers questions during a forum with the members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) in Manila on September 24, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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FOCAP- Chiz Escudero

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175377530154420240924-focap-foru-chiz-escudero-MT4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Senate President Francis Escudero answers questions during a forum with the members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) in Manila on September 24, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senate President Francis Escudero claimed Tuesday the allegations linking him and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva to allegations of misuse of flood control funds are a &quot;demolition job&quot; related to the just-concluded election of Senate president.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/29/escudero-says-he-looks-forward-to-working-with-sotto-led-minority-bloc-1449">Escudero says he looks forward to working with Sotto-led minority bloc</a></div><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier called for an audit of flood control funds in his State of the Nation Address on Monday.</p><p>Escudero said he gained nothing from the flood control funds, adding that there was &quot;no single case&quot; ever filed against him in his 27 years in government. </p><p>&quot;Nagsalita na ang executive secretary, imbestigahan daw hindi lamang yung sa panahon ni Pangulong Marcos, pero yung mga nagdaang administrasyon din,&quot; he said, referring to the flood control projects. </p><p>&quot;Dahil kung ano man ang kapalpakan, kaugnay ng flood control, hindi lamang itong taon &#x27;to. Kung hindi mga nagdaang taon. Dahil kung titignan n&#x27;yo yung panukalang budget, mas malaki pa nga yung budget sa nagdaang taon sa flood control kaysa sa kasalukuyang taon,&quot; he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/escudero-romualdez-retain-top-senate-house-posts-in-shadow-of-duterte-impeachment-1327">Escudero, Romualdez retain top Senate, House posts</a></div><p>Escudero said he did not introduce any insertions in the 2025 budget, especially for his home province of Sorsogon.</p><p>&quot;No. 150 billion [pesos]? No, of course not,&quot; he said.</p><p>He however admitted that there were changes in Sorsogon&#x27;s budget, but not to the amount mentioned in the reports.</p><p>&quot;Grabe naman kasi yung insinuation ng mga naninira. Pag nag-aamyenda ka ng budget, insert na agad, illegal na agad, bawal na agad, may kita na agad, hindi naman siguro tama yun. Mali naman yata yun. So anong gusto n&#x27;yo sabihin sa amin? Wala kaming karapatan baguhin yung sina-submit na panukalang budget ng DBM (Department of Budget and Management). Gano&#x27;n ba yan?&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/-mahiya-naman-kayo-marcos-order-probe-on-corruption-in-flood-control-projects-1725">&#x27;Mahiya naman kayo&#x27;: Marcos orders probe on possible corruption in flood control projects</a></div><p>&quot;Kung ano yung sinumite, ba&#x27;t pa kami mag-hearing? Ba&#x27;t pa nakalagay sa saligang batas ang power of the purse ay nasa Kongreso? Yun ba yung ibig sabihin mo? Na iligal magbago ng budget? I don&#x27;t think so,&quot; he said, noting that it is pork barrel that is illegal.</p><p>Escudero said lawmakers do not necessarily have a say in the budget of their home turf.</p><p>He also downplayed his presence at the bicameral conference committee proceedings at the Batasang Pambansa, saying this is the source of the demolition job, which he claimed could likely be traced to the House of Representatives. </p><div><strong>LIFESTYLE CHECK</strong></div><p>Escudero also urged lawmakers to be open to lifestyle checks.</p><p>&quot;May ongoing, may ongoing, may batas na nagbibigay ng kapangyarihan sa pamahalaan na gawin yan. And I think everyone should be open to a lifestyle check when it comes to that,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Whether may allegation ng ganyan o wala. Basta sigurado ako, wala akong bahay sa Forbes o sa Dasmariñas at wala rin akong Rolls Royce o Ferrari. Kaya nga isa ako sa mga unang tumayo tulad ng pagsimula natin at pumalakpak nung may binanggit si Pangulo kaugnay sa corruption.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/marcos-puts-filipinos-key-issues-on-center-stage-as-he-vows-to-rid-gov-t-of-corruption-2028?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawL1F3hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHuMdnyYVdwIVV5xS3Rs9-0QLwjIcXSlpH700iVX4uzK2jMhYqfF7ce9hAVjr_aem_WFhXEZ1YuRFz8uQTPImsVQ">SONA 2025: Marcos puts Filipinos&#x27; key issues on center stage as he vows to rid government of corruption</a></div><p>Escudero has revealed plans to file a bill barring government officials, lawmakers, and their families up to the 4th degree of consanguinity and affinity from securing government procurement contracts.</p><p>He said he has heard of claims that some lawmakers are contractors.</p><p>&quot;Pero marami tayong naririnig na ganoon kung kaya&#x27;t rason para kung ang mga abogado tulad ko, halimbawa, bawal mag-exercise ng propesyon, e di siguro naman, mas lalong dapat natin pagbawal dahil klarong may conflict of interest, yung mga kontratista at supplier na maging parte ng pamahalan o kung sila&#x27;y parte ng pamahalan, magpatuloy sila sa kanilang dating negosyo,&quot; Escudero said.</p><p>&quot;Pinapa-draft ko na ngayon at inaasahan namin may pa-file namin yan kung hindi mamaya ay bukas dahil simpleng panukalan lang naman,&quot; he said, adding he wanted this to be a priority bill.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/29/escudero-no-need-to-convene-senate-impeachment-court-after-supreme-court-ruling-on-duterte-case-1428">Escudero says no need to convene Senate impeachment court again after Supreme Court ruling on Duterte case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AT145CJHyss?&amp;t=1s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4-Fl6ZNp37E?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Senate President Francis Escudero claimed Tuesday the allegations linking him and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva to allegations of misuse of flood control funds are a "demolition job" related to the just-concluded election of Senate president.</p>

Senate President Francis Escudero claimed Tuesday the allegations linking him and Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva to allegations of misuse of flood control funds are a "demolition job" related to the just-concluded election of Senate president.

Escudero slams efforts to link him to flood budget misuse as 'demolition job'

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Escudero slams efforts to link him to flood budget misuse as 'demolition job'

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 29, 2025 04:19 PM PHT

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