Escudero denies helping contractor, admits P30M campaign donation

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday confirmed that Centerways Construction donated P30 million to his 2022 election campaign, but he said he did not help the firm secure big-ticket flood-control projects with the government.

READ: Marcos bares 15 contractors bag P100-B flood control deals: ‘Disturbing’

His clarification came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed that P100 billion—about 20 percent of the government’s P545-billion flood mitigation budget from July 2022 to May 2025—was awarded to just 15 contractors, including Centerways Construction.

While confirming that the firm’s owner made a lump-sum donation to his campaign, Escudero denied any involvement with the company, saying he is not, in any way, a business partner.

“That’s the same innuendo and insinuation that’s always being attached and said just because someone contributed or gave. He has long been my friend and acquaintance, and he has genuinely helped us—even long before this became an issue—and he’s really from Sorsogon,” Escudero said in Filipino during a press conference.



Asked if he assisted the firm to land government flood deals when he was already a senator, Escudero simply said that the construction company secured more projects when he was not yet a member of the Senate.

“The bigger amount he got was when I wasn’t here. I wasn’t here then,” he said.

READ: Villanueva: I don’t know any senator linked to 15 contractors Marcos named

Escudero stressed he was not a partner of the firm and urged the public to focus instead on government officials who actually own companies that secured major deals for the administration’s flood control programs.

“I am not part of his business. Again, that’s the innuendo and insinuation being floated and propagated. Why don’t we look instead at which lawmakers and government officials are actual contractors and owners of companies that secured government contracts?” he said./mcm

(2025/08/12-12:35)

To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.