Actress and style icon Heart Evangelista has found herself unexpectedly entangled in the widening controversy over the multi-billion peso flood control scandal after revelations surfaced linking one of her business partners to alleged kickback operations involving her husband, Senator Chiz Escudero.
At the center of the latest controversy is businessman Maynard Ngu, CEO of Cherry Mobile, who was publicly identified as the alleged “bagman” of Escudero. Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee last Thursday that he personally delivered hundreds of millions of pesos in supposed commissions from flood control projects to Ngu.
“I delivered 20 percent of approximately P800 million, or about P160 million, to Maynard Ngu, which was meant for Senator Escudero,” Bernardo testified, adding to the already explosive allegations rocking the legislative chamber.
Ngu, however, is not only a high-profile figure in the tech and retail industries but also appears in Evangelista’s entrepreneurial ventures. He has been reported as a business partner in her beauty brand, Luxelle Beauty. Evangelista has also been tapped as an endorser for Cherry Mobile and associated lifestyle initiatives, including a collaboration with Cork Wine Bar and Shop — further fueling speculation about whether her professional and personal worlds have inadvertently overlapped with the scandal.
The Blue Ribbon probe into anomalous flood control projects has already implicated several lawmakers. Whistleblowers allege that kickbacks were systematically carved out of public infrastructure contracts, with funds funneled to influential political figures. The scandal, which involves billions of pesos earmarked for flood management projects nationwide, has become one of the most high-profile corruption cases in recent years, prompting calls for accountability across government agencies and the legislature.
Senator Escudero, a veteran lawmaker and current Senate leader, now faces intensified public scrutiny. While he has yet to issue a detailed response to the latest testimony, his name being repeatedly linked to cash deliveries and alleged “basura” kickbacks underscores the mounting pressure on him and his office.
For Evangelista, the situation presents an uncomfortable spotlight. Though there is no allegation that she is directly involved in the scheme, her business ties to Ngu place her adjacent to the scandal that has already shaken her husband’s political career.
As investigations continue, the Blue Ribbon Committee is expected to summon more witnesses and review paper trails that could either substantiate or weaken the allegations. For now, the case underscores the far-reaching tentacles of the flood control scandal — touching not only political figures but also personalities from the business and entertainment worlds.