Escudero warns of diversions in House budget probe

Senator Francis Escudero warned against "calculated diversions" aimed at absolving House Speaker Martin Romualdez from the controversy surrounding alleged substandard and ghost projects.

Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno explicitly named Escudero and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co as the culprits behind alleged anomalous last-minute insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Puno stated that Escudero and Co finalized these insertions as part of a "small committee" that consolidated amendments to the GAA.

This small committee, which also included Speaker Romualdez and former Senator Grace Poe, allegedly met several times, with only Escudero and Co attending some of these meetings.

Escudero, however, emphasized that the core issues involve ghost projects, substandard work, and kickbacks, citing reports from various government agencies and whistleblowers, mainly concerning budgets from 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Co has denied accusations of making P13 billion worth of insertions in the 2025 national budget.