A new wave of legal headwinds is surfacing for Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero as graft and other criminal complaints were formally lodged before the Office of the Ombudsman, spotlighting what a private complainant described as a “systematic corruption playbook” allegedly executed during his leadership as governor of Sorsogon. The filing, elevated by Atty. Eldrige Marvin Aceron tags financial discrepancies and questionable transactions amounting to an estimated ₱352 million.
According to Aceron, the complaint draws heavily from red flags outlined in the Commission on Audit’s (COA) 2021 report on the Sorsogon provincial government. Several provincial officials were also included as respondents, particularly members of the Bids and Awards Committee, Acting Provincial Accountant Rena Garcia, Provincial General Services Officer Rosalina (surname unlisted), and the yet-to-be-identified provincial treasurer. The complaint cites potential violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and multiple provisions of the Revised Penal Code.
The allegations cover a broad range of purported financial anomalies. These include more than ₱125 million worth of infrastructure contracts termed “physically impossible” due to overlapping schedules, shared contractors, and identical equipment assignments. Another ₱15.4 million in national government allocations—such as ₱10 million meant for typhoon relief—were reportedly left idle or unimplemented for as long as six years.
Other audit issues highlighted in the complaint include ₱8.4 million in janitorial and laundry service contracts allegedly backed by falsified documents, ₱1.6 million in TUPAD payouts flagged for defective authorizations, and nearly ₱5.7 million in development projects charged to Sorsogon’s 20-percent Development Fund but not reflected in its procurement program. The largest amount—almost ₱196 million—was associated with reportedly unreliable or overstated Property, Plant, and Equipment records, including ghost assets and structures already demolished but still carried on government books.
Aceron positioned the allegations as a direct hit on public trust, saying mismanagement of such magnitude compromised essential services and long-term development outcomes for Sorsogon families, especially at the height of the pandemic. He also emphasized that similar COA observations appeared in the 2022 and 2023 audit cycles, suggesting what he called a “persistent pattern” of financial mishandling.
The filing comes just a month after Aceron also initiated an ethics case against Escudero at the Senate related to supposed unlawful campaign contributions.