Escudero: There’s a plot to unseat me for another Duterte impeachment rap
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero slammed a recent exposé linking him to top-earning firms when it came to flood control, calling it a part of a demolition job to remove him from the upper chamber’s top spot.
Shortly after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed the top 15 construction firms that earned from flood control, Rappler linked the president of one of these companies to Escudero's top donor.
Lawrence R. Lubiano, the president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., dropped around P30 million into Escudero’s campaign funds during the 2022 elections.
Escudero confirmed that Lubiano did donate. But when asked if Escudero helped Lubiano after he was elected, the Senate president exclaimed “wala (none)!”
“Merong demolition PR (public relations) job na nakatoon laban sa akin at tulad ng babala na isang kapwa ko senador, na ito gagawin upang tiyakin na mawala ako sa pwesto at nang pag-file muli ang impeachment ay wala na ako dito pagdating February 6,” Escudero said.
(There is a PR demolition job against me and like the warning of another senator, this is being done to remove me from my spot and when they file another impeachment case, I won’t be here on February 6.)
In a press briefing on Tuesday, August 12, Escudero said that while Lubiano was a friend, he was not a part of his company and he did not know of any developments within the firm.
Escudero said that most of the projects acquired by Lubiano’s firm were acquired when he was not a senator.
The Senate president alleged that the demolition job against him was done by those who want the impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to continue.
When asked if he thought someone from the House of Representatives was behind the smear campaign, Escudero replied it was “obvious.”
Escudero called the timing of the story malicious.
“The innuendo, the insinuation, and the malicious timing, I question it,” Escudero said.
Centerways Construction and Development Inc. only got a mere 1% of the total P545 billion spent on flood control.
Marcos had ordered an audit on flood control projects during his fourth State of the Nation Address.
On Monday, August 11, Marcos unveiled several preliminary findings, including the top 15 contractors who have cornered a big chunk of the country’s flood control projects. While the president said he is not pointing fingers, he said that these findings warranted a closer look.
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