Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero – Photo courtesy of Chiz Escudero/Facebook.
The Senate committee on ethics and privileges will determine whether to consider the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling that cleared Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero of wrongdoing in connection with the P30-million campaign donations he received in 2022, Senator JV Ejercito said Friday.
Ejercito, who chairs the committee, noted that the panel’s membership has yet to be finalized, but the case will be addressed collectively once the committee is formally constituted.
“Depende ‘yan kung ano ang magiging desisyon ng—, collegial body tayo, ng mga miyembro. So whether to take it into consideration itong desisyon ng Comelec or not, o ibasura ito at tuluyang ituloy ang kaso, so depende po ‘yan kung ano ang magiging desisyon ng buong miyembro ng ethics committee,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
In November 2025, the Comelec Political Finance and Affairs Department cleared Escudero and Centerways Construction and Development Inc. president Lawrence Lubiano of any violations related to the campaign donations, prompting a petition to the Supreme Court by teacher John Barry Tayam seeking to nullify the decision.
Ejercito is also facing an ethics complaint filed by Atty. Marvin Aceron, who alleged gross neglect of duty for delaying action on the Escudero complaint.
Among the potential members of the ethics committee, Ejercito mentioned Senators Bam Aquino and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan from the majority bloc, and Senator Joel Villanueva from the minority bloc.
He added that the panel will follow a “first in, first out” rule in hearing cases.
“Sa nag-file sa akin ng ethics complaint, eh gusto niya parang unahin ‘yung finile niya laban kay Senator Escudero. Meron ho tayong rules dito, first in, first out. Depends on the date of filing. Siyempre may nauna rito eh, kung ‘di ako nagkakamali apat o lima na ‘yung may ethics complaint,” Ejercito said.
