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Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero leads the 127th Independence Day celebration at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos City, Bulacan, on Wednesday, June 12, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero leads the 127th Independence Day celebration at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos City, Bulacan, on Wednesday, June 12, 2025. Centered on the theme “Kalayaan. Kinabukasan. Kasaysayan.,” Escudero and key local officials paid tribute to the national flag and laid wreaths at the monument of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to honor the nation’s history and its continuing fight for freedom.

Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

127th INDEPENDENCE DAY

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177725847312220250612-127th-independence-day-barasoain-MT18.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero leads the 127th Independence Day celebration at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos City, Bulacan, on Wednesday, June 12, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Sandiganbayan on Monday held a closed-door hearing on the Office of the Ombudsman’s request to bar former Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu from leaving the Philippines while a probe into their alleged involvement in a flood control kickback scheme was ongoing.</p><p>The anti-graft court’s Sixth Division, chaired by Associate Justice Sarah Fernandez, asked non-parties to the ex parte application to step outside the courtroom as it determined whether there was probable cause to issue a <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2025/11/25/alamin-pagkakaiba-ng-ilbo-hdo-at-phdo-1624">precautionary hold departure order </a>against Escudero and Ngu.</p><p>“Aside from being ex-parte, we are considering the evidence to be presented and witnesses to be questioned will have to have a certain degree of confidentiality… The court is worried there may be spoilage of evidence if the hearing is open to everyone,” Fernandez said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/12/escudero-denies-hand-in-flood-control-projects-secured-by-campaign-donor-1516">Escudero denies hand in flood control projects secured by campaign donor</a></div><p>An ex parte application is a request made to a court by one party in a case without notifying or involving the opposing party.</p><p>Fernandez acknowledged the media’s interest in covering the proceedings but said some of the prosecution’s evidence was not yet ready for public disclosure, as no formal charges had been filed. </p><p>However, Fernandez said that the court’s resolution on the prosecution’s motion would be made available to the public once issued.</p><p>According to the Ombudsman’s verified ex parte application, Escudero may face plunder, graft, and indirect bribery charges.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/23/sandiganbayan-blocks-romualdez-s-departure-from-ph-0039">Sandiganbayan blocks Romualdez’s departure from PH</a></div><p>Escudero was tagged in the flood control mess after former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo said in a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that Ngu asked for a list of projects in 2024 for the senator.</p><p>Bernardo alleged P1.4 billion worth of projects in Valenzuela, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and Quezon City were prepared for Escudero, who was allegedly entitled to a 20 percent commitment fee.</p><p>He also claimed to have delivered P160 million to Escudero at Ngu&#x27;s building in Manila, followed by a second delivery of P120 million at the same location in 2025.</p><p>Escudero&#x27;s camp previously denied the allegations.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></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/gL3mVzqyJOk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/Q5gwAcrCBek?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div> </div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan on Monday held a closed-door hearing on the Ombudsman’s request to bar Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu from leaving the Philippines while a probe into their alleged involvement in a flood control kickback scheme is ongoing.</p>

The Sandiganbayan on Monday held a closed-door hearing on the Ombudsman’s request to bar Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu from leaving the Philippines while a probe into their alleged involvement in a flood control kickback scheme is ongoing.

Sandiganbayan holds closed-door hearing on preliminary hold departure order request vs Escudero

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Sandiganbayan holds closed-door hearing on preliminary hold departure order request vs Escudero

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 27, 2026 11:07 AM PHT

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Updated April 27, 2026 05:25 PM PHT

Read More:

Escudero

Chiz

Sandiganbayan

Travel Ban

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Flood Control

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