TWO WEEKS AFTER filing an ethics complaint against Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, lawyer Eldrige Marvin Aceron submitted an Omnibus Motion to the Senate Ethics Committee revealing that the relationship between Senator Escudero and contractor Roberto Lubiano was already transactional as early as 2019 when Escudero’s was Governor of Sorsogon.
The motion comes in the wake of the Senate’s halt of the flood control scandal hearings, as the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has maintained closed-door hearings.
Public records show that while Escudero served as Governor of Sorsogon, Lubiano’s Metroways Health Care and Medical System won government contracts in 2021. From December 2021 to May 2022, Lubiano donated Php30,000,000 to Escudero’s senatorial campaign.
From 2022 to 2025, Lubiano’s Centerways Construction won a total of Php16,670,000,000 in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contracts concentrated in Sorsogon.
Aceron pointed out, “This is not a case of a politician accepting a donation from a friend, then that friend’s company coincidentally winning contracts later. This is a case of a contractor winning government contracts under a Governor’s administration, that contractor then donating ₱30 million to that Governor’s Senate campaign, and that contractor’s other companies then winning billions more after the Governor becomes Senator.”
According to COMELEC Chairman George Garcia’s public statements on October 8, 2025, Senator Escudero submitted an affidavit stating he “believed” the ₱30 million-donation was from “personal funds” and accepted it based on friendship with Engineer Lubiano.
“That defense is precisely why I documented the ₱35,070,000 accounting discrepancy in Centerways’ SEC filings,” Aceron stated. “The corporate books cannot verify Senator Escudero’s belief. When a sitting Senator accepts ₱30 million from a contractor-owner whose companies were winning government contracts under his own administration, ‘I trusted my friend’ is not sufficient due diligence under RA 6713 Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.”
Centerways Construction filed three different versions of their 2022 Annual Financial Statements with the SEC: The 2023 filing showed retained earnings of ₱315,146,828; the 2024 filing showed retained earnings of ₱280,076,828 (restated), and the 2025 filing showed retained earnings of ₱280,076,828 (restated).
Thus, ₱35,070,000 vanished from retained earnings between the first and second filing—during the exact period of the ₱30 million-donation—with no explanation provided under Philippine Accounting Standard (PAS).
The Omnibus Motion reveals that Lubiano also owns 91% of Metroways Health Care and Medical System, Inc., founded in 2021. Public records and social media documentation confirm the company won government contracts during Escudero’s governorship, including medical supplies and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Senator Escudero had direct knowledge of Lubiano’s companies winning government contracts because those contracts were awarded during his own governorship,” Aceron explained. “He cannot claim ignorance of Lubiano’s business interests when accepting the ₱30 million.”
The Omnibus Motion specifically sought the Senate Ethics Committee to conduct the following:
•Expedite the referral of the complaint to Sen. Escudero with a clear deadline for a response
•Issue subpoenas for Centerways Construction’s complete financial records, Metroways Health Care’s complete financial records, Lubiano’s personal financial records, BIR records showing dividend declarations and shareholder transactions, and Provincial Government of Sorsogon records from 2019 to 2022 showing all contracts awarded to both companies.
It also asked the Ethics Committee to conduct a hearing in order to determine whether “good faith belief” satisfies due diligence requirements under RA 6713.
The same motion cited the need to uncover how Sen. Escuero verified Lubiano’s source of the donation before he accepted it, — and how the ₱35M accounting discrepancy relates to the “personal funds” claim.
Aceron also finds it imperative for the Senate Ethics Committee to verify whether the relationship was already transactional during Escudero’s stint as provincial governor.
“Should there be any violations, the case must be referred to the appropriate agencies,” said Aceron.
The motion notes that four days after the Ethics Complaint was filed, Senator JV Ejercito—Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee—publicly posted birthday greetings to Senator Escudero on Facebook, which Escudero shared with thanks.
“I raise this not to question Senator Ejercito’s integrity, but to note that the public requires confidence that the ethics process functions impartially when documentary evidence raises serious questions,” Aceron stated.