Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero warned Sept. 29 against political machinations orchestrated by former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to weaken the Senate as an institution and endanger national security.
The former Senate president said this is Romualdez’s attempt to mislead the public and shield the real masterminds from accountability over the unprecedented scandal involving flood control projects.
In a privilege speech, Escudero called on his colleagues to collectively reject what he called “script and sarswela”, designed to bring down the Senate by linking only senators while sparing members of the House of Representatives, who have direct control over the budget in more than 300 districts across the country, including funds intended for infrastructure and flood control projects.
After several Senate Blue Ribbon Committee public hearings, only Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co has been identified by witnesses among House members, while connecting six incumbent and former senators to the controversy.
“For that is what is happening now—selective justice and mob justice. Members of the Senate have been thrown off a cliff and before the court of public opinion in an attempt to mollify the people’s rage, thereby covering up the real perpetrators and giving them a chance to get away,” Escudero said in a Senate press release.
“Mr. President, do not allow justice to be weaponized in the pursuit of selective accountability because this corrodes the legitimacy of the law before our people’s eyes. Walang naniniwala, at bagkus lahat nagtatanong: bakit walang congressman na kasama sa mga imbestigasyon?” he added in his speech.
Escudero said this deliberate campaign of selective justice and political manipulation by Romualdez is undermining the very foundation of the country’s democratic institutions due to the cover-up.
“I will defend myself, Mr. President, against these malicious and false allegations. In fact, I will be filing the necessary and appropriate charges against my accuser. And, with the help of the Almighty, I am confident that I will be vindicated and declared innocent,” he stressed.
Escudero, who has served in public office for over 27 years—15 of which in the Senate—emphasized his unblemished record. “I have neither been accused nor charged with corruption. That is the sterling record which they are trying to tear down. They will not succeed.”
He questioned the absence of Romualdez and other congressmen from ongoing investigations, despite being named in affidavits and testimonies. “Pasagutin at imbestigahan lahat ng ni-name drop na at mga nabanggit na congressman, senador, at iba pang opisyal. At dapat kasama dito si Martin Romualdez.”
He accused Romualdez of sowing discord across sectors to distract the public from his own wrongdoing.
The Bicolano senator stressed that Romualdez cannot escape accountability for pocketing taxpayers’ money following the testimony of retired Sgt. Orly Guteza, a former VIP security for Co, that he had delivered 37 pieces of luggage containing hard cash, worth P1.7 billion, to the residence of Romualdez in Makati.
And yet, Escudero lamented, Romualdez was not included in the recommendation of the Department of Justice or the National Bureau of Investigation for possible case, nor in the freeze order by the Anti-Money Laundering Council of the assets of those who linked to allegedly anomalous projects.
He also lamented the unequal standards applied to whistleblowers, citing the case of the Discaya witnesses, who named multiple congressmen and Romualdez himself. “Bakit ang daming kondisyon bago ipasok ang mga Discaya sa witness protection?”
Escudero further questioned the selective scope of investigations, and expressed dismay over the disproportionate attention given to senators allegedly implicated by Hernandez.
The narrative that the Senate is obstructing justice also did not sit well with Escudero, arguing instead that it is being scapegoated for political convenience. “Are we truly for transparency and accountability? Or are we merely offering a politically-convenient sacrificial lamb?” ||
