MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero, a once-powerful Senate president, is temporarily barred from leaving the country after the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan granted the Office of the Ombudsman’s request for a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO).

The Sandiganbayan 6th Division granted the request on Monday, April 27. 

A PHDO has the power to restrict the travel of a person who is a subject of an ongoing complaint. 

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla told Rappler on Saturday, April 25, that they asked for the travel ban because Escudero is facing plunder, graft, and bribery complaints. 

Another source told Rappler that the criminal complaints and PHDO request also include businessman Maynard Ngu, Escudero’s friend and campaign donor.

Ngu is also included in the PHDO, based on a copy of the PHDO seen by Rappler.

The PHDO request was raffled to the 6th Division on Saturday, and the division led by Chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez immediately conducted a hearing on Monday.

Escudero’s name was dragged into the flood control scandal after an investigation revealed that Lawrence R. Lubiano, the president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., was Escudero’s top donor in the 2022 elections.

State witness and former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo also said in his testimony that Escudero allegedly received a P160-million kickback.

Bernardo claimed that he personally delivered money to Ngu for the benefit of the senator. – Rappler.com