The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division on Monday, April 27, issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Sen. Chiz Escudero and businessman Maynard Ngu, who are being investigated by the Ombudsman for alleged plunder, graft, and bribery in connection with the flood control scandal.
A PHDO prevents an individual suspected of serious crimes from leaving the country. Compared to a standard hold departure order, a PHDO is issued during the preliminary investigation before the filing of formal charges in court.
The order was issued three weeks after the Ombudsman announced it was preparing plunder charges against Escudero and former Speaker Martin Romualdez over their alleged role in the flood control mess and corruption in the national budget.
In November 2025, Former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo claimed Escudero received about ₱280 million in kickbacks from infrastructure projects worth ₱1.4 billion, which were delivered through Maynard Ngu, Escudero’s alleged bagman.
Bernardo, now a state witness, said Ngu was his “close friend,” and that he personally delivered the alleged kickbacks to Ngu’s office in Manila.
Ngu had also donated ₱30 million to Escudero during his 2022 senatorial campaign.
Both Escudero and Ngu have denied their involvement in the flood control scandal and the allegations by Bernardo.
The Sandiganbayan previously issued a PHDO against Martin Romualdez on April 22.
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