Escudero denies involvement in campaign donor’s contractor business

Metro Manila, Philippines - Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has denied involvement in the business operations of a campaign donor identified by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as among the top contractors for flood control projects.

In a press conference on Tuesday, August 12, Escudero confirmed that Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development, Inc.—which secured over ₱5.4 billion worth of flood control projects—donated to his 2022 senatorial campaign.

“Matagal ko nang kaibigan at kakilala siya at tumutulong talaga sa amin, mula’t mula pa noong hindi pa issue ito at tubong Sorsogon talaga siya,” Escudero said.

[Translation: He’s been a longtime friend and acquaintance. He has genuinely helped us from the very beginning, even before this became an issue. He’s truly from Sorsogon.]

Escudero, who served as Sorsogon governor before returning to the Senate in 2022, emphasized he had no role in Lubiano’s business dealings nor in facilitating any government contracts.

To support his claim, Escudero provided the media with data showing that most of the projects awarded to Centerways were secured before he rejoined the Senate.

“For the record, wala akong kinalaman sa pag-identify, paggawa ng program of work, pag-bid, pag-award, pagbayad, pag-inspeksyon, ng anumang proyekto sa pamahalaan. Sa Sorsogon man o sa labas ng lalawigan ng Sorsogon,” Escudero said.

[Translation: For the record, I had no involvement in identifying, preparing the program of work, bidding, awarding, paying for, or inspecting any government project—whether in Sorsogon or outside the province.]

Escudero also questioned the timing and intent of the article linking him to Lubiano, calling it a “malicious, ill-timed” piece aimed at discrediting him. He described it as part of a “demolition job” allegedly orchestrated by unnamed individuals from the House of Representatives.

“‘Yong mga may gusto ng impeachment, ‘yong marahil ay nasaktan, tinamaan noong nasapul sa mga talumpati at mga pinaggagawa at pinagsasabi ko nitong mga nagdaang araw. Klaro naman ‘yon,” he said.

[Translation: Those pushing for impeachment—perhaps they were hurt or hit by the speeches I’ve made and the things I’ve done and said in recent days. That’s pretty clear.]

In voting to archive the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte last week, Escudero urged House lawmakers to stop allowing themselves to be used for politics.

“Bakit hindi natin tignan, sino ba ‘yong mga mambabatas at opisyal ng gobyerno na aktwal na kontraktor, aktwal na mayari n’ong mga kumpanya na nakakuha ng kontrata sa gobyerno?” he added.

[Translation: Why don’t we take a look at which lawmakers and government officials are actually contractors or real owners of companies that secured government contracts?]

Escudero recently filed a bill that seeks to prohibit family members and relatives of government officials from conducting business with the government.