The political crossfire in Congress intensified Monday as former House Speaker Martin Romualdez dismissed Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s privilege speech as nothing more than a “DDS script,” recycled from troll pages and online rumor mills.
Romualdez, responding to Escudero’s fiery address that accused the House of shielding certain congressmen from scrutiny over anomalous flood-control projects, said the senator failed to present any fresh revelations or credible evidence.
“I listened to the privilege speech of Sen. Chiz Escudero. With respect, what we heard was not an exposé but a DDS script — the same recycled accusations we have long seen on troll pages and social media posts. Walang bago, at wala ring katotohanan,” Romualdez said.
The Leyte lawmaker argued that Escudero deliberately avoided addressing the corruption allegations directed at him, particularly questions about his alleged role in the so-called flood-control kickbacks.
“Instead of answering the serious questions he himself must face, Sen. Escudero chose to deflect. He did not deny the allegations against him. He did not explain his own role in flood-control kickbacks. Imbes na magpaliwanag, nanisi siya,” Romualdez stressed.
Escudero’s earlier salvo
In his privilege speech, Escudero claimed that senators were being made “panakip-butas” or scapegoats in the multi-billion peso budget insertion controversy. He accused House leaders, particularly Romualdez, of orchestrating a narrative to divert public attention away from alleged anomalies tied to congressmen and contractors.
“Iisang tao lang ang nasa likod ng script at sarsuwelang ito,” Escudero said on the Senate floor, referring to Romualdez. “Siya ang dahilan ng kaguluhan, pagkakaaway-away, pagkakawatak-watak… maprotektahan lamang ang sarili niya.”
The senator also alleged that the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte was used as a political maneuver to unlock billions of pesos worth of congressional funds before the 2025 elections — funds that were otherwise tagged “for later release.”
Escudero vs. Romualdez: Clash of narratives
Romualdez countered by saying Escudero’s speech was not about accountability but about positioning himself for 2028, tying his statements to loyalty-building toward Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Malinaw naman ang katotohanan: ang talumpati ni Sen. Escudero ay hindi tungkol sa pananagutan, kundi para isulong ang kanyang personal na ambisyon. It was a performance designed to profess loyalty and service to Vice President Sara Duterte, and to position himself as her ally for 2028,” Romualdez said.
With both sides trading accusations, the controversy over the alleged flood-control scam and budget insertions is morphing into a broader battle of political survival and future alignments, one that now ropes in the Duterte camp and the looming 2028 elections.
Analysts warn that the escalating war of words between Escudero and Romualdez underscores a deeper fracture between the Senate and the House — with corruption allegations serving as both a weapon and a shield in the high-stakes struggle for power.